Ryan Marriner leaves family home in Ocean Grove for year-long trip with children as police continue to probe wife’s death
Eleven months after his wife, Samantha Kelly, died in mysterious circumstances, Ryan Marriner has packed up and abandoned the family home in Ocean Grove.
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Eleven months after his wife, Samantha Kelly, died in mysterious circumstances, Ryan Marriner has packed up and abandoned the family home in Ocean Grove.
While the homicide squad continues to investigate her death, Mr Marriner has embarked on a year-long trip around Australia with their two young sons.
After previously asking for “substantial money” to tell his story, he said, “I’m just trying to be the best dad I can be”, and has launched a YouTube channel documenting his travel from the Bellarine Peninsula town to northern Australia.
In an eight-minute video, posted to his dead wife’s social media page, he and the two boys can be seen next to a 4WD hooked up to a boat where they talk about plans to visit to Blairgowrie and NSW before travelling further.
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Ms Kelly, 42, died on Australia Day after she was found unconscious in the family’s Conran Drive home.
Paramedics were called about 5am and took her to hospital, where she later died.
Later that day, the homicide squad was called to investigate and officers were seen wearing forensic suits as they scoured the property for evidence.
The home is being rented out for $800 a week with its occupants revealing they had no idea of its history.
Neighbours say Mr Marriner’s decision to pack up and leave was unexpected — with residents only realising they were leaving when a boat appeared in the front yard.
They said police have visited the area several times since Ms Kelly’s death but officers only confirming the matter remains an active investigation.
Mr Marriner has been described as a quiet man who largely kept to himself.
In the YouTube video, posted on Christmas Eve, the father says he rented out the home so the family can become “Marriners by name ... Marriners by occupation”.
The post, spanning across several days, shows the family setting up for Christmas dinner before Mr Marriner faces the camera and speaks openly.
“It’s quite a difficult Christmas for us. This is our first Christmas without my wife ... the catalyst for this whole trip is that my wife has tragically passed away and the fallout from that was completely unexpected and unnecessary,” he said,
Then he can be seen kissing his son’s head before saying the small community made it hard for the family to continue living in Ocean Grove.
“I’ve decided it’s best we get away for 12 months. One, for me to get to know the boys better because Sam was always the primary caregiver,” Mr Marriner said.
“We really need to learn to jell as a three and I need to learn how to be a dad and not just a wage earner.”
When contacted by the Addy, he said the family had lost “our whole world”.
Earlier this year Mr Marriner reportedly requested $200,000 for an interview with Channel 9. A month after his wife’s death he set up a social media account to raise money to “restore” his family.
In an online statement, he proclaimed his wife died of a heart attack but this has never been confirmed by police.
A criminal history check has confirmed Mr Marriner faced court in 2012. He pleaded guilty to reckless conduct endanger serious injury and was put on a good behaviour bond, without conviction.
Victoria Police did not respond to specific questions relating to Ms Kelly’s death saying inappropriate to comment further on “an active investigation”.