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

[Ramjet]

I really would like to know if life was going to go on as usual for Russell and Carol. Maintaining a relatively discreet relationship.
Or if there was going to be some kind of change - perhaps them moving in together.

It is nothing that we would know, but it may be something that the police now know. I feel that the police will now have retrieved everything they possibly can from the telecomms companies.

No point speculating.. Police have ruled out premeditated and only concede the possibility of 'bad' things happening

 

[SouthAussie]

No point speculating.. Police have ruled out premeditated and only concede the possibility of 'bad' things happening

Not ruled out ... only 'unlikely'.
And that 'something bad' that could have happened does not necessarily mean the involvement of a stranger, or by their own actions.
It could definitely be an unplanned angry reaction from someone they know.


It was unlikely an attack on the couple was "planned" or "premeditated", Inspector Stamper said.
"The strongest theory is that it is something that's happened in the valley that has escalated and resulting in something bad happening to them."
Missing Victorians likely 'carted out' of campsite by third party before mystery disappearance

 

[TootsieFootsie]

It's up to individual members if we want to speculate or not.

No point speculating.. Police have ruled out premeditated and only concede the possibility of 'bad' things happening

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Yes maybe they were coming to a path in their relationship where things might have had to change and they would no longer be able to spend time together by going away.

 

[SouthAussie]

It's up to individual members if we want to speculate or not.

I also think the police may be speculating on many things.

I think it is unlikely that they have ruled most anything out at this point in time. The only thing they seem to discount is that Russell and Carol have taken off together and left their families in bewilderment and sorrow.

They are also not going to alert any close people that they are onto them (if they are actually onto anyone). The police are asking for witnesses, anyone who may have seen Russell and Carol or anything else on that fateful day/night.

It is a very generic 'something bad happened' that the police are stating.

 

[Tinker Taylor]

Sure, he could have inherited money. He could have had a generous superannuation pension. He could have won the lotto.

It just seems a bit unusual for these days and for someone of his age with his work history.

I hope the people investigating his disappearance have asked the question.

 

[SouthAussie]

Sure, he could have inherited money. He could have had a generous superannuation pension. He could have won the lotto.

It just seems a bit unusual for these days and for someone of his age with his work history.

I hope the people investigating his disappearance have asked the question.

I would think that the police have been forensically trawling through their finances. In a mystery such as this they generally look at everything, in my experience.

When Karen Ristevski disappeared while 'going for a walk', the family finances were forensically examined (as well as everything else). The VicPol missing persons unit was very thorough in that case.

 

[Tinker Taylor]

I would think that the police have been forensically trawling through their finances. In a mystery such as this they generally look at everything, in my experience.

When Karen Ristevski disappeared while 'going for a walk', the family finances were forensically examined (as well as everything else). The VicPol missing persons unit was very thorough in that case.

Yep, well if not, hopefully they will do.

 

[Ramjet]

It's up to individual members if we want to speculate or not.

Yes but a waste of white space

 

[Lee421]

I suggest you read the previous posts and catch up on your knowledge before bloating the thread...

If there was a option to delete without a 60 min limit on editing I would not be bloating,i apologise.I don’t think the police know what ultimately happened they go from searching the valley and not finding them to assuming foul play,by a third party.Yelling shark is a tactic by Aussie police to garnish interest in the case,(hoping for useful info).And maybe to flush out something.The fires cause hasn’t been established,or isn’t being revealed.And it’s not revealed what’s in the rubble and ashes thou a few things can be seen.The public has very little to work with,just 2 people and a Drone.And there movements before arriving at camp.Their vehicle.I don’t think there’s much to catch-up on,given how little we actually know,about the details,of this event.And what’s going on in there private lives,who can really know.Its all not for public scrutiny.Just have to wait for the vice to solve this.But it is a strange set of circumstances at its end.Something untoward has unfolded.

 

[SouthAussie]

Yelling shark is a tactic by Aussie police to garnish interest in the case,(hoping for useful info).And maybe to flush out something.

Yes, the police said clearly in the 60 Minutes program that they know there were many people in the Wonnangatta Valley at the time. And that they are very disappointed that only several have come forward.

I believe they are trying to get word out to as many people as they can - to get more of those people to come forward.

Not just an Aussie tactic though. It is used by many law enforcement personnel around the world, when they need public assistance. It has been happening very recently in the Madeleine McCann case, too, for example.

 

[Ramjet]

Not ruled out ... only 'unlikely'.
And that 'something bad' that could have happened does not necessarily mean the involvement of a stranger, or by their own actions.
It could definitely be an unplanned angry reaction from someone they know.


It was unlikely an attack on the couple was "planned" or "premeditated", Inspector Stamper said.
"The strongest theory is that it is something that's happened in the valley that has escalated and resulting in something bad happening to them."
Missing Victorians likely 'carted out' of campsite by third party before mystery disappearance

I don't think the police would lie in the media conference .. they said that the couple have loving families.
The reference to 'something bad happening' means an altercation with another person in the valley. .. nothing premeditated.
It's remotely possible someone objected to a drone flyover .. but nowhere (in the world) has this resulted in a double homicide.
And I can't think of any reason an altercation of any sort in this environment would result in homicide. (unless cattle rustling)
More likely they were assisted out due to medical reason and that an accident happened. .. yet to be discovered.
The area is so remote that it's not surprising that this situation has occurred.
The road back to Heyfield is a minefield.. roos, deer, etc would make it worse at night.
But if my theory is correct it is a matter of time before a wrecked vehicle is found on that road. (in the Macalister river)
I still think there is a possibility they are lost near the camp site after a failed attempt to recover the drone.
The recent discovery of the autistic boy on Mt Disappointment proves the inadequacy of S & R in dense bush.
VicPol admitted to the extraordinary difficulties in this search due to logistics.
It is just simply a very difficult task to find bodies at this location.

 

[Ramjet]

Yes, the police said clearly in the 60 Minutes program that they know there were many people in the Wonnangatta Valley at the time. And that they are very disappointed that only several have come forward.

I believe they are trying to get word out to as many people as they can - to get more of those people to come forward.

Not just an Aussie tactic though. It is used by many law enforcement personnel around the world, when they need public assistance. It has been happening very recently in the Madeleine McCann case, too, for example.

I don't believe there was anyone camped nearby .. and the burnt site was only reported by a single person .. after a substantial time has elapsed.
The reference to a lot of folks in the area is probably vaguely referring to numbers over the following 2 months .. they would easily find this data from people at the Licola General Store and the small town of Dargo.
This incident happened after Easter so I'm not surprised the valley was quiet.

 

[SouthAussie]

I don't believe there was anyone camped nearby .. and the burnt site was only reported by a single person .. after a substantial time has elapsed.
The reference to a lot of folks in the area is probably vaguely referring to numbers over the following 2 months .. they would easily find this data from people at the Licola General Store and the small town of Dargo.
This incident happened after Easter so I'm not surprised the valley was quiet.

Sounds like the police need you on their team.

 

[Linear13]

Something just struck me about this. I'm not sure about Russell's previous work, except he was a logger in the 80's and on LinkedIn he is described as a labourer. So it seems to me that he didn't rise up the ladder too far and most of his work has been on the lower pay scale. I now assume he is retired at 74yo.

He has a fairly expensive vehicle, "tricked out" with lots of camping gear. This was commented on by his friends.

Then he spends $2,000 on a drone, basically a toy to play with while he is camping??

Does anyone else see something that doesn't add up?

I don’t know about Russell’s past as a logger as I can only attest to what I know (I work in forestry). Even though it seems like a job that some may think is “on the lower pay scale” logging is a very lucrative industry especially if you own your own equipment and most have their own business either contracting directly from government/individuals or subcontracting from the big mills. It’s hard work, it’s dangerous and it’s well worth the money. Here in the states even in the 80’s the money was well worth it. I admit I do not know about Australia’s industry but I would hazard a guess, MOO, that it’s similar to the states. The same goes for contract labor. Whether building houses, roads or whatever the pay is fairly good. Just check and see how much it will cost you to hire someone to build or repair something...it’s not cheap.

Plus we don’t know his financial situation. He may have parlayed some of the money he made into investments or is good at managing and saving money and decided that at 74 now is the time to enjoy some of that well earned money. It doesn’t mean that at 74 he’s gotten into something nefarious.

Everything is my opinion only

 

[Tinker Taylor]

It doesn’t mean that at 74 he’s gotten into something nefarious.

Well, it is unusual and anything unusual should be followed up. No suggestion that it involves "something nefarious". As Deep Throat said "follow the money".

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I don't think it's unusual at all that he could afford to buy either the drone or the vehicle.
I doubt very much that he did anything illegal to be able to purchase them.
He didn't exactly live a life where he wasn't working for many years and then there is the presumed income from his wife.
Even "poor people" are allowed more than the dregs off their "superiors" table these days.

 

[SouthAussie]

Well, it is unusual and anything unusual should be followed up. No suggestion that it involves "something nefarious". As Deep Throat said "follow the money".

Yes, I would be following the money, too. Whether it is something closer to home, or someone wanting the drone and other valuables that might have been with them on the camping trip.

 

[Ramjet]

Yes, I would be following the money, too. Whether it is something closer to home, or someone wanting the drone and other valuables that might have been with them on the camping trip.

But leave behind an expensive vehicle , Ham Radio gear .. etc etc.. and burn down the tent with all the valuables in it..
yeah right...

 

[Satchie]

But leave behind an expensive vehicle , Ham Radio gear .. etc etc.. and burn down the tent with all the valuables in it..
yeah right...

And make two bodies vanish.