Chilling social media post before woman found dead

A social media hate campaign against a woman whose body was found dead in the high country could have been part of an elaborate cover up.

Sam Wilson’s body was discovered in a remote section of bush in Abbeyard eight months after she was last seen.

A social media hate campaign was run against a woman who wound up dead in a potential staged suicide in Victoria’s High Country.

The remains of mum Sam Wilson, 53, were found in remote bushland in Abbeyard in May 2019 – nine months after she was last seen and after no attempts to report her missing to police.

The Saturday Herald Sun can reveal a bottle of poison was located next to her decomposed remains and there are lingering suspicions the scene was staged to appear as if she had taken her own life.

It has also emerged a person known to her spread on social media that she had significant financial debts and was in hiding in the period between her vanishing and her remains being found.

There are suspicions the social media post intended to create the narrative Ms Wilson was alive and had not met with foul play.

It read: “The name Sam Wilson is a lie. Her name doesn’t exist which makes me wonder why are you causing sh-t wh-re. This is why your (sic) in hiding now cause you must of (sic) done some bad sh-t”.

A bottle of poison was found next to Sam Wilson’s body.

“If anyone out of the group isn’t in the loop don’t trust that c-nt and don’t get mixed up in the lies. She’s very manipulating.

“She’s bad f--king news and I hate her guys oh and she stole $30,000 so never trust that lady.”

Her clothing was also believed to have been burnt after she disappeared.

Ms Wilson’s death remains the subject of an active homicide investigation, with no arrests close to three years on.

Her former partner David Grady was among those spoken to by police.

The Saturday Herald Sun is not suggesting he is responsible for her death, just that he was one of several people spoken to by homicide squad detectives.

Mr Grady – a wildlife hunter – separated from Ms Wilson months before she was last seen in August 2018.

Their split was unharmonious and there had been conflict over her outstaying her welcome at his remote Abbeyard property, located a few kilometres from where hunters discovered Ms Wilson’s remains.

The time between her disappearance and the discovery of her remains has made for a challenging police investigation.

It took weeks to positively identify her due to their advanced decomposition of her remains and the fact no missing person report was filed with police despite her vanishing nine months prior.

Sam Wilson's former partner David Grady was among those questioned over the mum’s death.

Those who knew Ms Wilson said she was warm and accommodating to people who came to Abbeyard to hunt wild deer.

“She was friendly and loved kids,” one person said.

“She would prepare for everyone that would come up hunting … cook up food and make coffees.”

Mr Grady headed a large deer hunting fraternity prior to Ms Wilson’s disappearance and death.

A hunting source said he occupied an area of bush that was “a paradise to hunt”.

“A crew of 20 to 30 people (elsewhere) might get 50 to 60 deer a year. But Grady’s crew would get between 400 to 500 a year,” the hunter said.

“The hunting crew broke up (after Ms Wilson’s body was found). Everyone was nervous and didn’t want to be involved in the investigation.”

A Victoria Police spokeswoman confirmed the investigation into Ms Wilson’s death remains ongoing.

“The woman’s remains were found by hunters in bushland near Abbeyard Road about 3pm on 11 May, 2019,” the spokeswoman said.

“The remains were formally identified several weeks after the discovery and investigators learned the 53-year-old had not been seen in the Abbeyard area since August 2018 but had not been reported missing.

“The death continues to be treated as suspicious at this time.”

Ms Wilson’s death is one of many unsolved cases linked to Victoria’s vast wilderness.

Businessman Conrad Whitlock, prison boss David Prideaux and hiker Niels Becker are among those to have disappeared without a trace in the bush in the past decade alone.

Arguably one of the state biggest missing persons cases was blown wide open late last year when police laid charges over the alleged murders of campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay in Wonnangatta in March 2020.

Jetstar pilot and bushman Greg Lynn allegedly killed the pair, whose remains were found buried in remote bushland in Dargo.

Lynn will face court on May 31.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.