Inspector Stamper says police have spoken to a number of people who live in or spend time in the bushland around the Wonnangatta Valley, including some with “concerning and anti-social habits”.
“The fire is a big part of what makes us concerned about this incident.”
There are plenty of people in the High Country who will tell you Russell and Carol would be alive if not for that drone.
As Roxanne, the holiday-house owner in Mansfield puts it, there are lots of people worried that Russell accidentally saw something he wasn’t meant to while flying the drone overhead.
“We know the community has those concerns,” Inspector Stamper says.
After months of searching and investigating the disappearances, what Inspector Stamper has been left with is a long list of things that haven’t been found, including Russell’s phone and drone, any drug crops, any hint that this was a staged disappearance, any suspect or any item at all connected to Russell or Carol.
And it is all that missing information along with the burnt-out tent, that leads Inspector Stamper to suspect foul play.
Four people have gone missing within a 60km radius in the past year. Their fate remains a mystery
(Not a new article, just a refresher ... along with some great footage of the area)