Unsolved Wonnangatta couple vanish in a bunch of too many odd disappearances - Enter 'The Button Man'

[Kurve]

Of interest.
The Disappearance of David Prideaux

 

[Pamcake1]

Police ramp up search for married man and secret 'beauty queen' lover

Russell Hill, 74, and Carol Clay, 73, went missing on March 19 in the Wonnangatta Valley in Victoria's East Gippsland region.

www.dailymail.co.uk

'We know there were vehicles in the area at the time with Victorian, NSW, Tasmanian, Queensland and South Australian registrations, so potentially there are people now interstate who have some information or need to contact us,' he said.

 

[Drakescoffeecake]

Why has this case gained so much traction? I get it's bizzare but there are so many other cases out there that are just as strange, if not moreso, and get zero media attention.

 

[ms finch]

Why has this case gained so much traction? I get it's bizzare but there are so many other cases out there that are just as strange, if not moreso, and get zero media attention.

I think it’s a couple of things.

With the public, I think it is the sense amongst people that this is a bit reminiscent of Ivan Milat - people vanishing in the bush. I was a child when the backpacker bodies were found, and it’s one of those things that is etched in my memory. The Button Man scenario has only played into the Ivan Milat connection.

The couple are older and sensible. I don’t think the affair has been titilating; rather I think the lack of discussion about it has been precisely because these two people are seen as very respectable. People like that always seem to get more attention on disappearances/crimes.

Maybe police also feel there is a bigger story here than just this couple given the other odd disappearances in close areas, and feel this couple’s disappearance is their best chance of figuring out what’s going on.

 

[Pamcake1]

Why has this case gained so much traction? I get it's bizzare but there are so many other cases out there that are just as strange, if not moreso, and get zero media attention.

I don't see it getting any more or less attention than any others. It is a 'live' case not a cold case and the police obviously by their continued appeals are looking for more information. If you read betweeen the lines the police obviously believe that there is fould play involved and the general public does not know everything they know. So I would say by their latest appeal they are looking for witnesses for a specific vehicle and probably already have a suspect within their sights.

 

[Pamcake1]

I think it’s a couple of things.

With the public, I think it is the sense amongst people that this is a bit reminiscent of Ivan Milat - people vanishing in the bush. I was a child when the backpacker bodies were found, and it’s one of those things that is etched in my memory. The Button Man scenario has only played into the Ivan Milat connection.

The couple are older and sensible. I don’t think the affair has been titilating; rather I think the lack of discussion about it has been precisely because these two people are seen as very respectable. People like that always seem to get more attention on disappearances/crimes.

Maybe police also feel there is a bigger story here than just this couple given the other odd disappearances in close areas, and feel this couple’s disappearance is their best chance of figuring out what’s going on.

I think relating this case to Milat is drawing a very long bow, with the only conection being a national park and not even the same one or in the same state. This couple were not hitchhiking, were not backpackers and were not young to start. The fact that a campsite is found deserted and burnt out with no sign of them, I believe is the main reason why people are interested in this case. For some the secret affair is key, because they would moralise that older 'respectable' people don't have secret affairs with close friends and then disappear unless there is a revenge motive. There is a puzzle to be solved which is alluring to most. This puzzle has many elements one of which is the area they disappeared in and the fact that others have disappeared there in the recent years never to be found. More shades of picnic at Hanging Rock than Bangalow state forest methinks.

 

[revo333]

I personally feel this case went off the radar a bit when it was discovered that Button Man had nothing to do with it.

If it wasn't for this thread i'd have forgotten all about it.

 

[imho]

bushwhakkers doing Wonnangatta


it wouldn't be hard to get into difficulty out there.


imho

 

[imho]

I think relating this case to Milat is drawing a very long bow, with the only conection being a national park and not even the same one or in the same state. This couple were not hitchhiking, were not backpackers and were not young to start. The fact that a campsite is found deserted and burnt out with no sign of them, I believe is the main reason why people are interested in this case. For some the secret affair is key, because they would moralise that older 'respectable' people don't have secret affairs with close friends and then disappear unless there is a revenge motive. There is a puzzle to be solved which is alluring to most. This puzzle has many elements one of which is the area they disappeared in and the fact that others have disappeared there in the recent years never to be found. More shades of picnic at Hanging Rock than Bangalow state forest methinks.

last contact 20th march
campsite / vehicle discovered 21st march

...that's the autumnal equinox.
some celebrate it
might other(s) have been drawn to such a location on such an occasion ?



this is one screenshot of the campsite & vehicle, from omen's earlier link (below)

( https://www.police.vic.gov.au/appea...vn74mgq5KANa_ZhP5fURqvjegGUu9n58ljJ35XbTMN3mM )

with pamcake's mention of "drawing" a long bow, "shades" of picnic at hanging rock, i find my thoughts again tuned to '"art"' ... so, in closeups from the above screenshot, what are the chances that this could be a possible clue bearing, abstract illustration, smudged into the soot on the vehicle's canopy?
am i tripping?

imho

 

[Gpop]

last contact 20th march
campsite / vehicle discovered 21st march

...that's the autumnal equinox.
some celebrate it
might other(s) have been drawn to such a location on such an occasion ?

this is one screenshot of the campsite & vehicle, from omen's earlier link (below)

( https://www.police.vic.gov.au/appea...vn74mgq5KANa_ZhP5fURqvjegGUu9n58ljJ35XbTMN3mM )

with pamcake's mention of "drawing" a long bow, "shades" of picnic at hanging rock, i find my thoughts again tuned to '"art"' ... so, in closeups from the above screenshot, what are the chances that this could be a possible clue bearing, abstract illustration, smudged into the soot on the vehicle's canopy?
am i tripping?

imho

last contact 20th march
campsite / vehicle discovered 21st march

...that's the autumnal equinox.
some celebrate it
might other(s) have been drawn to such a location on such an occasion ?



this is one screenshot of the campsite & vehicle, from omen's earlier link (below)

( https://www.police.vic.gov.au/appea...vn74mgq5KANa_ZhP5fURqvjegGUu9n58ljJ35XbTMN3mM )

with pamcake's mention of "drawing" a long bow, "shades" of picnic at hanging rock, i find my thoughts again tuned to '"art"' ... so, in closeups from the above screenshot, what are the chances that this could be a possible clue bearing, abstract illustration, smudged into the soot on the vehicle's canopy?
am i tripping?

imho

Great pick up!! Despite of course looking like Elvis this is seriously creepy, I must be tripping too

 

[imho]

Great pick up!! Despite of course looking like Elvis this is seriously creepy, I must be tripping too

...my thoughts also...
wtf are we on, Gpop???


imho

 

[Wombot]

Why has this case gained so much traction? I get it's bizzare but there are so many other cases out there that are just as strange, if not moreso, and get zero media attention.

The public are interested in this case because there is already scandal involved. An elderly cheating couple who potentially met foul play? What’s not to be interested in? Plus the story unravelled slowly. An old married guy who took a supposedly single friend out on a weekend? People had their suspicions early and it was slowly released that they were likely having an affair.

Then there is the enigma of the scene. Various theories abound, from the mundane to the criminal. That leaves the mystery of the motive if criminality is at play. The only thing of value that the police are saying is missing is a drone. Drones can record. Was that why it was taken, to destroy evidence? Was that why there was a fire?

Its an interesting case alright.

 

[revo333]

Sly of the Underworld: Why police have sought overseas help to solve missing camper mystery

It has been six months since Russell Hill and Carol Clay vanished while camping in Victoria’s high country. Despite an extensive search, their disappearance still remains a mystery, with no c…

www.3aw.com.au

Victoria Police have turned to overseas experts for help investigating the disappearance.

“They have headed to America because there have been a series of what are called wilderness murders there, and there’s some expertise,” Sly explained.

“In fact, there are 28 cold cases involving wilderness murders and the Yosemite authorities have actually a homicide squad embedded there.”

 

[Drakescoffeecake]

What the hell happened here?

 

[Kurve]

What the hell happened here?

Israel Keyes, an ex US military serial killer used to pick people off out in the bush. Nobody knows exactly how many but none of them were found and he targeted couples as well. Not that it's him responsible obvs but maybe someone like him.

 

[Mister Carlton]

Wouldn’t have happened if they weren’t cheating.

 

[ilikeclouds]

Wouldn’t have happened if they weren’t cheating.

Victim blaming, really?!

 

[Kurve]

Imagine your husband disappearing in the bush, possibly murdered, being sick with worry and grief then to find out he was away for a dirty hot weekend with his mistress. And she's your friend, gone as well. How do you break it to the kids? It's awful on awful.

 

[zedx]

Imagine your husband disappearing in the bush, possibly murdered, being sick with worry and grief then to find out he was away for a dirty hot weekend with his mistress. And she's your friend, gone as well. How do you break it to the kids? It's awful on awful.

It would have been absolutely shocking !! Especially at that stage of your life, I just don't know how you would break it to your children. And the whole horrible situation ie never ending as they have not been found! Would be like a nightmare you can't seem to wake up from !!

 

[Mister Carlton]

Victim blaming, really?!

Karma.

 

[craffles]

Such a strange case

 

[Kurve]

Warren Meyer who just vanished when he had all the right equipment including GPS, may have stumbled on to a marijuana crop.

The police found a crop of 32 plants in the initial search for Meyer and his family later found more evidence of illegal activity.

Bushwalker may have been murdered 'after stumbling onto drug crop'

There has been a major breakthrough in the case of a Victorian bushwalker missing for seven years, with a tip-off leading the man's family to believe he may have been killed after stumbling upon a marijuana plantation.

www.abc.net.au

 

[zedx]

Warren Meyer who just vanished when he had all the right equipment including GPS, may have stumbled on to a marijuana crop.

The police found a crop of 32 plants in the initial search for Meyer and his family later found more evidence of illegal activity.

Bushwalker may have been murdered 'after stumbling onto drug crop'

There has been a major breakthrough in the case of a Victorian bushwalker missing for seven years, with a tip-off leading the man's family to believe he may have been killed after stumbling upon a marijuana plantation.

www.abc.net.au

Note to self...'Don't walk off the beaten track !!'