In the vast, sun-baked wheat and sheep country of north-west Victoria, 65-year-old grandfather and lifelong farmer Richard “Rick” Wills followed the same steadfast routine he had for decades. On Easter Sunday, 5 April 2026, he kissed his wife Donna goodbye after breakfast, climbed into his ute, and headed to their rural property along the Mallee Highway outside the small town of Ouyen. He was expected home for lunch. He never returned.

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Police appeal for information about mysterious shooting death of Richard Wills at Ouyen – ABC News

What began as an ordinary day checking paddocks and tending to livestock on the family’s expansive farm ended in one of the most confronting crimes to hit this tight-knit Mallee community in years. Richard Wills was fatally shot, his body dragged behind a vehicle for a considerable distance across his own land, and then buried in a shallow grave. Police discovered the grave during a search on Tuesday 7 April — just two days after he vanished — approximately 38 metres from where he had been working.

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Ouyen news: Wife breaks down after kind-hearted husband killed in ‘vicious’ shooting in rural Victoria

New details emerging from the Victoria Police investigation paint a disturbing picture of how quickly everything unravelled. Digital records place Wills moving across the property around 2:07 PM. His phone signal then dropped completely by approximately 2:47 PM — a silence that lasted. Meanwhile, machinery near the shed, which he had been using or preparing that day, recorded an unexplained 9-minute shutdown. Investigators have stated this anomaly does not align with any standard operational pattern or power fluctuation on the farm, raising questions about possible tampering or an abrupt interruption during the critical window.

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A Workaholic Farmer and Devoted Family Man

Richard Wills was known throughout Ouyen and the surrounding district as a hardworking, kind-hearted man who lived for his land. The couple’s 1,600-acre (approximately 650-hectare) property was his second home. Dressed in his familiar yellow high-vis top and dark cap, he spent most days tending sheep, maintaining equipment, or simply checking fences and paddocks — the quiet, relentless labour that defines rural Australian life.

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Man buried in shallow grave at Ouyen was victim of recent sheep thefts, family says – ABC News

His wife of 32 years, Donna Wills, was still in bed when he left that morning. “He just got up and had breakfast and left the house,” she later recounted. When he didn’t return for lunch, concern slowly turned to alarm. By Monday morning, with no sign of him and his ute found untouched near the shed, Donna reported him missing. The family knew something was terribly wrong — this was completely out of character for a man who always came home.

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Ouyen news: Wife breaks down after kind-hearted husband killed in ‘vicious’ shooting in rural Victoria

Police from the Missing Persons Squad, assisted by local officers, launched a search of the property. Around 1:30 PM on Tuesday, they made the grim discovery: Richard’s body in a shallow grave covered by a thin layer of dirt. An autopsy confirmed he had been shot at least once. Evidence showed his body had been dragged behind a vehicle across the farm before burial — a detail described by detectives as “confronting” and part of a “vicious killing.”

The Investigation: Digital Clues, Machinery Anomaly, and a Call for Answers

Victoria Police have treated the death as suspicious from the outset and are actively investigating it as a homicide. Detectives have appealed for anyone who saw Richard on 5 April, or who has information about movements on or near the property that day, to come forward.

The timeline reconstructed so far relies heavily on digital and electronic records:

Around 2:07 PM: Richard is captured on or near the property, consistent with a routine paddock check.
Within roughly 40 minutes: His phone goes completely silent — no further activity, location pings, or calls.
Unexplained 9-minute shutdown on nearby machinery: Investigators say this does not match normal farm operations, power cycles, or maintenance patterns. It occurred in the same critical period and is being examined closely for signs of interference.

His ute was later located near the shed, apparently undisturbed in a way that suggested he had parked it as usual before the events unfolded.

Police have not ruled out any possibilities, including that the perpetrator may have been someone known to Richard or familiar with the layout of the remote property. In a small community of just over 1,100 people, the idea that violence could erupt on a working farm in broad daylight has shaken residents.

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Some reports have noted that Richard had recently experienced sheep thefts on the property — a growing issue in rural Australia where livestock crime can escalate tensions. However, his family has pushed back against speculation linking the murder to organised “Merino Mafia” or large-scale theft rings, describing such theories as untrue and emphasising that Richard was simply a hardworking family man doing his daily chores.

Family’s Devastation and a Community in Shock

Donna Wills has spoken publicly of her heartbreak, breaking down as she pleaded for information to help catch whoever was responsible. The couple’s daughter has also spoken out, revealing the double tragedy the family is enduring and stressing that her father was not involved in any criminal disputes.

Ouyen, located about 440 km north-west of Melbourne and roughly 100 km south of Mildura, is a classic Mallee town — quiet, resilient, and tightly connected through farming families. The news that a local grandfather and farmer was shot and buried on his own land has left many struggling to comprehend how such brutality could happen in their backyard.

Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Trewavas described the killing as vicious and has renewed appeals for public assistance. “Richard has clearly met with foul play,” he said. Police continue to examine forensic evidence from the scene, including the shallow grave, drag marks, and any vehicle or footwear impressions.

Broader Questions in Rural Victoria

This case has highlighted ongoing challenges in remote farming regions: livestock theft, isolation, and the vulnerability of solo workers on large properties. While sheep theft has been mentioned in connection with the property, investigators have not confirmed it as the direct motive, and the family rejects organised crime links.

Anyone with information — no matter how small — is urged to contact Crime Stoppers Victoria on 1800 333 000 or submit a report anonymously online. Police have stressed that even sightings of vehicles or unfamiliar people near the Mallee Highway property on Easter Sunday could prove vital.

Richard Wills went out that Easter Sunday to do what he loved — work his land and check on his paddocks. He left behind a grieving wife, family, and a community searching for answers. The unexplained drop in his digital signal, the anomalous machinery shutdown, and the brutal manner of his death have turned a routine farm day into a haunting mystery that Victoria Police are determined to solve.

As the investigation deepens, the quiet paddocks of Ouyen carry a new weight — a reminder of how fragile safety can be, even on the land a man devoted his life to. 💔