A significant new piece of forensic evidence has surfaced in the homicide investigation into the death of 65-year-old farmer Richard “Rick” Wills on his rural property near Ouyen in Victoria’s Mallee region. Tire marks found near the eastern paddock — close to the area where his body was discovered — match tread patterns commonly seen on local agricultural vehicles. Investigators have noted that these impressions appear to have been partially erased by light grading, a technique that points strongly toward deliberate concealment rather than ordinary farm traffic.

This latest detail adds weight to the growing theory that the perpetrator was someone familiar with the land, its vehicles, and routine maintenance practices, allowing them to attempt to obscure evidence on the isolated 1,600-acre property.

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Richard Wills, a devoted 65-year-old farmer and grandfather known for his daily routine and hard work on the family property along the Mallee Highway. (Image: Supplied via news outlets)

Rick was last seen leaving his home on Hughs Street in Ouyen around 8am on Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026, after sharing breakfast with his wife Donna. Dressed in his usual yellow high-vis shirt and dark cap, he headed to the farm as normal. He never returned for lunch.

Donna and a family friend searched the property that evening but found nothing alarming. When he still hadn’t come home the next morning, she reported him missing. His ute and phone were located on the site, offering no immediate clues.

On Tuesday, April 8, around 1:30pm, a large search uncovered his body buried in a shallow grave. He had been shot dead and then dragged behind a vehicle for a considerable distance across the farm. The burial site was just 38 metres from the main farming shed, in an area Rick worked daily.

Previous forensic findings already included no forced entry points, no broken locks, no perimeter disturbance despite a 500-metre search radius, and topsoil replaced within a 6–12 hour window. The new tire mark evidence — located near the eastern paddock and showing signs of light grading to obscure the impressions — further suggests the killer (or someone assisting) returned to the scene with local knowledge and equipment to cover their tracks.

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Representative aerial view of a large rural property in the Ouyen/Mallee region — similar to the Wills family farm with its paddocks, sheds, and open land where tire marks were found. (Stock image for illustrative purposes)

Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Trewavas from the Missing Persons Squad has described the killing as “vicious” and “callous,” stating that police suspect a person who knew Rick is responsible. The combination of no external forced entry, rapid topsoil reworking, and now partially erased tire marks matching local agricultural vehicles reinforces the focus on an insider with routine access to the farm and its machinery.

The family was initially told there were no obvious signs of disturbance. That reassurance collapsed when the search revealed the concealed burial site. Donna Wills has expressed her profound shock: “Why would they want to do it to him?” The peaceful farm that represented daily labour and quiet satisfaction is now a sealed crime scene at the heart of an active homicide probe.

Police continue to explore links to rural crime, including possible livestock theft. Rick had reportedly experienced sheep thefts on the property before, and Victoria has seen thousands of such offences in recent years, sometimes involving sophisticated groups. While no direct connection has been confirmed, investigators remain mindful of this angle given the farm’s vulnerability and the perpetrator’s apparent familiarity with the land and vehicles.

The Mallee’s vast landscapes and tight-knit communities have long depended on trust. Ouyen, a modest town of around 1,170 people, is now confronting the possibility that the killer had legitimate or frequent access to the property — someone who could drive agricultural vehicles, grade the ground lightly, and move about without immediately arousing suspicion.

Detectives have canvassed the local area, reviewed available CCTV, and continue to appeal for information. Anyone who saw unusual vehicle activity, grading, or anything suspicious on or near the farm on Easter Sunday or in the following hours is urged to come forward — anonymously if preferred — via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. “There will be somebody in this community who knows what happened,” Trewavas has stressed.

For the Wills family — already having lost one daughter to a medical episode years earlier — the accumulating evidence of deliberate concealment deepens the sense of betrayal on their own land. The quiet life of a devoted farmer ended in a calculated act that has left his loved ones devastated.

As more forensic details emerge and the evidence trail unfolds, the insider theory grows stronger. No arrests have been made, and the motive remains under active investigation.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Victoria Police or Crime Stoppers immediately.