The family of a farmer murdered in country Victoria fear he may have been ambushed by assassins who lay in wait for him.
Police are hunting the killers of Richard ‘Willsy’ Wills, who was last seen leaving his home in Ouyen, about 450km north-west of Melbourne near the South Australian border, on Easter Sunday.
Victorian detectives believe he suffered a horrendous ordeal before being fatally shot, including being dragged behind a vehicle before being buried in a shallow grave.
Mr Wills’ son-in-law Ben Phillips said he now believed the shooter had waited for the 65-year-old to arrive at the farmhouse on Mr Wills’ Mallee Highway property.
‘He always used to pull up his ute there, and he’d be working on something,’ Mr Phillips told the Herald Sun.
‘We wonder whether someone’s murdered him there, waiting in ambush – and he’s turned up and they’ve shot him.’
The theory contradicts the narrative pushed by local farmers, who believe sheep rustlers are behind the killing.
Victorian farmer Kevin Butler recently branded the deadly sheep rustling the ‘Bondi massacre in the bush’.
The family of a farmer murdered in country Victoria fear he may have been ambushed by assassins who lay in wait for him (Pictured: Richard Wills and his wife Donna Wills)
But Mr Wills’ wife, Donna, said it was ‘highly unlikely’ the murder was connected to the so-called ‘Merino Mafia’ allegedly responsible for stealing hundreds of sheep and cattle in the Mallee region.
‘It’s nothing to do with that at all,’ she told the newspaper.
The case has been exploited by fake news sites across the globe, with some using AI to manufacture false and offensive reports designed to appear legitimate, including the release of CCTV depicting two supposed suspects.
Mrs Wills said online speculation, including AI-generated content, linking her to her husband’s death was absurd.
‘None of us have done anything to him, this is somebody else,’ she said.
Mr Phillips agreed that Mr Wills’ stolen livestock was unlikely to have contributed to his death.
Victoria Police confirmed on Friday that no arrests had been made and the investigation remained ongoing.
‘We have not released any CCTV,’ a spokesman told the Daily Mail. ‘Any official updates will be posted via official channels, and we’d encourage members of the community to check those.’
Fake news reports claiming to have captured CCTV images of Mr Wills’ suspected killers has been dismissed by Victoria Police
The murder came after repeated complaints from farmers in the Clunes region, 300km from Ouyen, about organised crime gangs stealing sheep over the past year.
Last week, Victorian detectives said they were investigating whether links to livestock theft in the region were a factor.
It is understood that, shortly before his death, Mr Wills had reported the theft of some of his sheep.
‘I think it’s a very out there, wild theory. There’s a lot of higher lines of enquiry with the detectives,’ Mr Phillips said.
‘There’s absolutely no justification for what happened, we want the full truth.
‘It’s one thing to lose a loved one, it’s another thing for someone to have taken his life and still be at large.
‘There’s no one person or group of people that I would put my finger on, it’s quite confusing really. The police are obviously considering everything.’
Mr Phillips said the death had come as a huge shock to his family, friends and the community.
Widow Donna Wills joined Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Trewavas of the Victoria Police’s Missing Persons Squad to ask the public for help in finding her husband’s killers
‘You came into my life about 15 years ago and welcomed me like I was one of your own,’ Mr Phillips wrote in a Facebook post he shared with Stock & Land.
‘That’s just the kind of man you were – someone who would give the shirt off your back to help another, even if it meant going without yourself.
‘If anyone ever needed a hand, you were there in a heartbeat, no questions asked, no matter the cost to you.
‘You always made sure the people around you were looked after before you ever thought about yourself.
‘A truly selfless man and a genuine gentleman.’
Mr Phillips said Mr Wills’ family, including his grandchildren, children and wife, were so important to him.
‘You always spoke of your wife with such kindness – never a bad word, only admiration and respect,’ he said.
‘It said everything about the love you had for her.
Police released digital images of three men detectives want to speak with about alleged sheep rustling in Victoria’s west last year
‘And your daughters … they were your pride and joy, your idols.
‘You did an incredible job – each of them is a truly beautiful person.’
Mr Phillips said he was devastated he didn’t have the chance to say goodbye.
‘I hate that someone took that opportunity away,’ he said.
‘I will never give up seeking justice for you.
‘You will never be forgotten.’
Mr Wills had gone to work at his rural property on the Mallee Highway about 8am as usual, after his daily farewell kiss for Donna, his wife of 32 years.
When he didn’t return for lunch, family members scoured the 650-hectare share-cropping and livestock farm to no avail.
Richard ‘Willsy’ Wills, who was last seen leaving his home in Ouyen, about 450km north-west of Melbourne near the South Australian border, on Easter Sunday
Mrs Wills reported him missing the following morning when he still hadn’t returned.
His body was found by police about 1.30pm the next day. He had been fatally shot and left in a shallow grave.
A GoFundMe established to help the Wills family has already raised close to $12,000.
Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Trewavas of the Victoria Police’s Missing Persons Squad told reporters Mr Wills had clearly met with ‘foul play’.
‘What is still unclear is exactly who was involved and why. This is a vicious killing,’ Sen Sgt Trewavas said.
‘It’s callous. Somebody will know. On Easter Sunday morning, someone will know someone who was doing the wrong thing or (acting) suspiciously.’
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
