Call for people to ‘open their mouths’ on the case of missing campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay
A year on from Russell Hill and Carol Clay’s mysterious disappearance, a friend says “that area of the bush is certainly not safe to go to at the moment”.
Police & Courts
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The best mate of a missing camper says he is waiting for those involved to “drop their guard and open their mouths” about the suspicious disappearance of Russell Hill and Carol Clay.
It comes as specialised police crews were on Wednesday in the Wonnangatta valley for a third consecutive day as part of a renewed search effort regarding the year-old case.
Mr Hill’s best mate Rob Ashlin, who was the last person to speak to Mr Hill on their amateur radio network before the shock disappearance, said he was glad police were renewing their widescale search.
“We want answers and that area of the bush is certainly not safe to go to at the moment,” Mr Ashlin said.
“We’re waiting for people to drop their guard and open their mouths. Police have got to keep going, they can’t leave a stone unturned.”
Mr Ashlin said he spoke to Mr Hill’s wife Robyn around the one year anniversary of the pair’s disappearance on March 20.
“She is still on the sad side of things,” Mr Ashlin said.
“She would like to know answers.”
There have been a number of unusual elements to the case.
Mrs Hill was unaware her 74-year-old husband was camping with Mrs Clay — a long term family friend — at the time they went missing.
Investigators believe the pair met with foul play after their campsite and Mr Hill’s Toyota 4WD was found scorched by fire.
Several major bushland searches have failed to find any sign of them but police are determined to solve the case.
Mr Hill’s DJI Mavic drone has also not been recovered since he vanished.
Mrs Clay, 73, was a former state head of the Country Women’s Association while Mr Hill was an experienced and well-equipped bushman who had recently retired.
Detectives from the missing persons squad have this week refocused their attention on four tracks in the desperate pursuit of finding any clues linked to the pair.
Those areas are the Dargo High Plains Road, Cynthia Range Track, Herne Spur Track and the Wonnangatta Track.
The missing persons squad are being assisted by the air wing, the drone unit, search and rescue crews and Parks Victoria.
The team will have conducted detailed searches of roadways, tracks, campgrounds, rivers and cliffs.
They believe around 200 people were in the region at the time.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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