Police make major breakthrough in search for missing Victorian campers
Police have made a breakthrough in the case of missing Victorian campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay.
Hill and Clay were both aged in their 70s when they disappeared from a remote Wonnangatta campsite on March 20 last year. Their campsite at Dry River Creek Track was discovered burnt out, and Hill’s abandoned Toyota Landcruiser was located nearby.
Detectives say they have now ruled out the possibility that the pair staged their disappearance, and believe that it’s most likely they were murdered after an altercation with a stranger.
Authorities say a car spotted near the campsite, a dark blue mid-1990s Nissan Patrol with a trailer attached, around the time the pair disappeared could help them crack the case.
Victoria Police Detective Inspector Andrew Stampers told 60 Minutes, “Everything seems to point towards this being some sort of confrontation, which has started as an argument maybe.”
“But my belief is that the person that carried out this is probably just an ordinary member of the community, who’s operating in a normal job, but carrying this significant load on their mind.”
He said that police have received reports that a vehicle attempted to leave the valley late on the night the pair vanished. Witnesses say the vehicle was forced to make a complicated turn back in the direction it came because of a closed gate. Stampers continued, “That same vehicle is also spotted on two cameras at the top of Mount Hotham, consistent with where a vehicle would exit the valley given the closure of the Myrtleford gate.
“We understand that initially, given the confusion around COVID-19 and state-wide lockdowns that people may have been reluctant to come forward, or that someone may simply have missed our repeated appeals for information.”
Authorities also revealed that charred camping chairs, a burnt-out battery, and a bucket used for Hill’s gas canister were located inside the pair’s burnt tent. They believe it’s unlikely that these items would have been put there by the missing pair. “It certainly builds that picture for us that potentially someone was trying to cover their tracks.”
Stampers encouraged anyone who recognises the car or who may have more information to speak to police. “If you are the driver of this blue Nissan Patrol, or you know who is, we would urge you to come forward – if nothing else, so we can eliminate you from our inquiries and move forward.
“Both families are still desperate for answers about what happened to Russell and Carol and why, and I know our investigators are doing all they can to try and get those answers for them.”