Family and community in limbo two months on from violent death
Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- A homicide investigation into the death of farmer Richard Wills in Ouyen, Victoria, remains active two months after his death.
- Wills was found shot and buried on his farm in April, and police suspect someone known to him is responsible.
- His family and the community are frustrated by the lack of updates from police, who state they are briefing the family as appropriate.
Two months after farmer Richard Wills was found shot and buried on his property in Ouyen, Victoria, the community and his family are left in limbo. The homicide investigation remains active, but updates have been scarce, leaving unanswered questions.
It's very frustrating and all we can do is hope that they're making progress.
Wills, 65, disappeared from his farm on Easter Sunday and was found buried in a shallow grave on his property two days later. Police initially stated there was evidence he was dragged behind a vehicle before being fatally shot and suspected a person known to him was responsible.
Families are briefed by investigators as and where appropriate during the course of an investigation so as not to compromise an ongoing investigation in any way.
However, his family told ABC News that police have provided no further information since a public appeal a week after his death. "It's very frustrating and all we can do is hope that they're making progress," a family member said. Victoria Police responded that families are briefed "as and where appropriate during the course of an investigation so as not to compromise an ongoing investigation."
The police were pretty present when it first happened, but the last probably three or four weeks, we haven't heard a lot and haven't had any real updates or anything like that from the police.
Local residents have also noted the quietness of the investigation. "The police were pretty present when it first happened, but the last probably three or four weeks, we haven't heard a lot and haven't had any real updates or anything like that from the police," said Paul Dean, a local fuel delivery driver. He expressed a desire for "some sort of an update of what they can tell us."
We'd like a bit of an update from the police. Obviously, they can't tell us everything but just some sort of an update of what they can tell us, we'd like to hear it.
Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.