Found Deceased Australia - Russell Hill, 74, & Carol Clay, 72, Wonnangatta Valley, 20 March 2020 #3

[JLZ]

If he did buy her a house in full before they disappeared, it was already too late anyway, that house will go to her kids, or the mortgage will transfer if it’s financed.

Personally I don't think he bought her a house. In Carol's position, I wouldn't like that.

 

[everybodhi]

Personally I don't think he bought her a house. In Carol's position, I wouldn't like that.

Yeah, but I would have divorced him anyway

 

[JLZ]

Yeah, but I would have divorced him anyway

You mean if you were Robyn you would have divorced him? Did you think I meant if I were Robyn I wouldn't have liked Russell to buy Carol a home? Carol herself, she's ended one marriage, I think she would have wished to own her own life.

 

[everybodhi]

You mean if you were Robyn you would have divorced him? Did you think I meant if I were Robyn I wouldn't have liked Russell to buy Carol a home? Carol herself, she's ended one marriage, I think she would have wished to own her own life.

Yes, my mistake.
And you’re probably right about Carol, she may have preferred her freedom and letting the wife deal with the dirty socks on the floor etc. etc.

 

[SouthAussie]

If someone was hoping to inherit from parents after the second parent's death, it might be unnerving to see the parents separate their lives to the extent of one moving in with another partner. There would be some likelihood that the new partner would inherit on the parent's death, and that the new partner wouldn't subsequently bequeath that to the 'stepchild'. I think that's sufficient for a motive--depending on the character of the hypothetical child, of whom I know nothing.

Well, all we know is that they both have 'large and loving families'. We haven't seen a hair or a whisker of any of them (except a pic of Russell holding a young child).

 

[TootsieFootsie]

It seemed that Carol would have been happy to live with him. He was the one who backed out.

And you’re probably right about Carol, she may have preferred her freedom and letting the wife deal with the dirty socks on the floor etc. etc.

 

[everybodhi]

It seemed that Carol would have been happy to live with him. He was the one who backed out.

I’ve obviously missed a lot of the intimate details about his relationships

 

[Kemug]

If someone was hoping to inherit from parents after the second parent's death, it might be unnerving to see the parents separate their lives to the extent of one moving in with another partner. There would be some likelihood that the new partner would inherit on the parent's death, and that the new partner wouldn't subsequently bequeath that to the 'stepchild'.
Of course that also applies if a bereaved parent remarries. I have seen it in friends and family. One relative didn't inherit a penny from his parents until he was 77 - because his widowed father had remarried to a younger woman, who lived to be 97. At 77 you can't use and enjoy your inheritance like you would if you were younger. And yes, it does seem unfair.

 

[Theodora]

It seemed that Carol would have been happy to live with him. He was the one who backed out.

I'd like to have more information from Russell's friend Rob about where he got the informaiton that Russell had backed out.

 

[Kemug]

Reposting. Re children of parents getting new partners, and worried about their inheritance. "Of course that also applies if a bereaved parent remarries. I have seen it in friends and family. One relative didn't inherit a cent from his parents' estate until he was 77, though he was orphaned at 32 - because his widowed father had remarried to a younger woman who lived to be 97. At 77 you can't use and enjoy your inheritance like you would if you were younger, and you don't have that helping hand with a mortgage, etc. And yes, it does seem unfair."

 

[curiouser and curiouser]

I’ve had the impression all along, that the pact that they’d divorce their partners and live happily ever after was some years ago. If I had to put a number on it, say 20years.
But, I feel like that’s an irrelevant aside, I’m feeling more sure it’s a hunter/s gone rogue.

Can anyone tell me more about Herne Spur? I haven’t been on that one. I was on Cynthia range and then went onto Wombat track or whatever it is. From the photos I took as we went past Herne it looks quite a bit more tree-y than Cynthia but that’s only a glimpse, is it as tree-y as down closer to Won or still a bit sparse?

There’s a surprising number of toilets around. We had a car full of people and only had to stop to pee at a spot with no toilets once. Although, as I’ve seen other people say - the toilets are a bit, ahm, sketchy? Behind a tree might be a better option anyway.

 

[Kemug]

If Russell made his last radio call with a gun to his head, that changes everything. I know that his wife and his friend said that he sounded normal, but that doesn't rule it out altogether. IMO

 

[curiouser and curiouser]

I'd like to have more information from Russell's friend Rob about where he got the informaiton that Russell had backed out.

They’d known each other for years. Would have had every chance to come across each other professionally and or in social circles in their chosen professions.
I don’t think they went to school together so not that far back, but plenty far back. (I have family who went to school with RA but they didn’t go to school with RH).

RA knew RH’s wife well enough to call her and say he thought there was a problem.l, rather than go to the police himself.

 

[curiouser and curiouser]

If Russell made his last radio call with a gun to his head, that changes everything. I know that his wife and his friend said that he sounded normal, but that doesn't rule it out altogether. IMO

If that was the case, wouldn’t there be some secret emergency code word or button or something the radio club people have? (Or does that only happen in movies LOL).

 

[trixie_au]

If the wife had hired a hitman there should be a money trail, a large unexplained deduction from her accounts at some stage, unless she'd been piggy-banking a few dollars a week for many years. I would expect police to have checked accounts as a matter of routine.

It sounds like money wasn’t an issue, so it would be quite easy enough to stack away $100 to $150 in cash a week without raising any suspicion at all, and waving it off as lunches/dinners/entertainment/lotto etc

The other thing that crossed my mind is the line of work Russell was in.. people in those circles ‘know’ people, if you know what I mean. And some of those people will ‘know’ people who live their lives just below the law.

 

[trixie_au]

If he did buy her a house in full before they disappeared, it was already too late anyway, that house will go to her kids, or the mortgage will transfer if it’s financed.

True, but could that have been the straw that broke the camels back?

 

[4Erica]

If I 'just discovered' that my husband of 50 years had been carrying out an affair with a 'family friend' for 20-odd years I would either be:
1) Cleaning out way more than his antennas! Or
2) Lying in a sodden heap on the sofa surrounded by empty ice cream cartons.
Either way I can guarantee I wouldn't be as calm and collected as these news articles make her appear. But perhaps I am simply underestimating the average Aussie female.

 

[Marchalot]

If I 'just discovered' that my husband of 50 years had been carrying out an affair with a 'family friend' for 20-odd years I would either be:
1) Cleaning out way more than his antennas! Or
2) Lying in a sodden heap on the sofa surrounded by empty ice cream cartons.
Either way I can guarantee I wouldn't be as calm and collected as these news articles make her appear. But perhaps I am simply underestimating the average Aussie .....they haven't really stated anything of the wife's reaction or feelings about it. Only recall a bit of shock- obviously

 

[Marchalot]

They haven't really stated anything of the wife's reaction or feelings about it. Only recall a bit of shock- obviously

 

[Satchie]

The one thing we do know is that RH had recently been camping alone. So, for whatever reason, he and his wife had certainly come to an arrangement where he would regularly go off to spend a week away without her, and IMO he had reached the same arrangement with CC.