Victoria Farmer's Family Fears Ambush Killing, Police Hunt for Assassins
The family of a farmer brutally murdered in rural Victoria now fears he may have been ambushed by assassins who lay in wait for him at his property. Police are intensifying their hunt for the killers of Richard 'Willsy' Wills, a 65-year-old farmer last seen leaving his home in Ouyen, approximately 450 kilometres north-west of Melbourne near the South Australian border, on Easter Sunday.
Horrific Details of the Crime
Victorian detectives believe Wills endured a horrific ordeal before being fatally shot. Evidence suggests he was dragged behind a vehicle and then buried in a shallow grave. His son-in-law, Ben Phillips, has voiced a chilling theory that the shooter waited for Wills to arrive at his farmhouse on the 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.'
Contradicting Local Theories
This ambush theory directly contradicts narratives pushed by some local farmers, who suspect sheep rustlers are behind the killing. Recent deadly sheep rustling incidents have been dramatically labelled the 'Bondi massacre in the bush' by Victorian farmer Kevin Butler. However, Wills' wife, Donna, firmly rejects any connection 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 stated to the newspaper. Mr Phillips concurred, noting that Wills' stolen livestock was unlikely to have contributed to his death, describing the rustling link as a 'very out there, wild theory.'
Fake News and AI-Generated Speculation
The tragic case has been exploited by fake news sites globally, with some using artificial intelligence to manufacture false and offensive reports designed to appear legitimate. These include fabricated CCTV footage depicting two supposed suspects. Victoria Police have explicitly dismissed these reports.
'We have not released any CCTV,' a police 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.'
Mrs Wills condemned the online speculation, including AI-generated content absurdly linking her to her husband’s death. 'None of us have done anything to him, this is somebody else,' she asserted.
Ongoing Police Investigation
Victoria Police confirmed on Friday that no arrests have been made and the investigation remains active and ongoing. Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Trewavas of the Victoria Police's Missing Persons Squad stated that Wills had clearly met with 'foul play' in what he described as a 'vicious' and 'callous' killing.
'What is still unclear is exactly who was involved and why,' Sen Sgt Trewavas said. 'Somebody will know. On Easter Sunday morning, someone will know someone who was doing the wrong thing or (acting) suspiciously.'
The murder follows repeated complaints from farmers in the broader region about organised crime gangs stealing sheep over the past year. Detectives are investigating whether links to livestock theft are a factor, as it is understood Wills had recently reported the theft of some of his sheep.
A Family's Grief and Search for Justice
Wills was last seen going to work at his rural property about 8am after his daily farewell kiss for Donna, his wife of 32 years. When he failed to return for lunch, family members searched the 650-hectare share-cropping and livestock farm in vain. Mrs Wills reported him missing the following morning, and his body was discovered by police about 1.30pm the next day.
Ben Phillips expressed the family's profound shock and devastation. In a heartfelt Facebook post shared with Stock & Land, he remembered Wills as a selfless man who would 'give the shirt off his back.'
'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,' Phillips wrote.
He highlighted the importance of Wills' family, including his grandchildren, children, and wife Donna. 'You always spoke of your wife with such kindness... It said everything about the love you had for her,' he added.
Phillips vowed to never give up seeking justice, stating, 'I hate that someone took that opportunity away... There’s absolutely no justification for what happened, we want the full truth.'
A GoFundMe campaign established to support the Wills family has already raised close to $12,000. Police continue to urge anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
