Police believe Russell Hill and Carol Clay met with foul play in high country
The mystery surrounding the disappearance of campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay in the high country almost three months ago has taken a sinister turn.
Police & Courts
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Foul play is now the most likely scenario in the High Country mystery of missing friends Russell Hill and Carol Clay, police believe.
Investigators are looking at the prospect a “third party” is involved in the disappearance of the pair in east Gippsland almost three months ago.
Detective Insp. Andrew Stamper of the missing persons squad said the circumstances of the mystery indicate they are the victims of foul play and has urged anyone in the area at the time to come forward.
Mr Hill and Ms Clay vanished after arriving in the Wonnangatta Valley in East Gippsland for a camping trip.
They were last known to be alive on March 20 when Mr Hill made brief contact with a mate via radio at 6.30pm as they set up camp before dark at the Dry River Creek Track.
Something happened to them in the 18 hours after that call.
The next day, at about 2pm, other visitors came across the campsite and saw no sign of Mr Hill and Ms Clay.
A large-scale search of the area, which has run on-and-off for more than 30 days, has found no trace of the couple.
Experienced officers from the search and rescue squad have told missing persons squad detectives they believe the couple are not in the search zone.
This has made the likelihood of them perishing in an accident or some other non-suspicious circumstances increasingly remote.
Mr Hill was known to not stray too far from where he set up camp.
The working theory is that someone has removed them from the area.
There are unusual elements which have added to the puzzle of what happened at Wonnangatta.
The cause of a fire at their campsite remains unexplained.
It was ferocious enough to destroy a tent, a table and chairs and scorch the side of Mr Hill’s Toyota Landcruiser.
Another element is Mr Hill’s drone, which has not been found.
Ms Clay’s belongings were found in the locked Toyota and her vehicle was later located at her Pakenham home.
This always made the possibility they staged their own disappearance remote because they would have needed a third vehicle.
Tracking everybody who was in the area has for weeks been a major part of the inquiry.
Investigators are still keen to hear from as many as 200 who had been in the area but have still not made contact after a recent public appeal.
Detective Insp. Stamper said they were not in trouble but that the process of working out who was there – whether they knew anything or not – was crucial.
Anyone with any other information on the disappearance or who has any CCTV or dashcam footage can call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit the website www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
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