A sheep farmer was dragged to his death like a scene from classic Australian movie Mad Max, before he was shot and buried in a shallow grave on his own property, police say.

Richard ‘Willsy’ Wills, 65, 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 an unidentified vehicle.

00:01

02:24

Read More

It was a sadistic detail that recalls a brutal scene from the original Mel Gibson movie in which a crazed bikie gang dragged a man behind a motorbike through the country Victorian town of Clunes – about 300km south of Ouyen.

The murder comes after repeated complaints from farmers in the Clunes region about organised crime gangs stealing their sheep over the past year.

Last week, Victorian detectives said they were investigating whether links to livestock theft in the region was a factor.

It is understood that, shortly before his death, Mr Wills had reported some of his sheep had also been stolen.

Local Kevin Butler claimed farmers had been trying to break the Merino Mafia since last May when ‘shameless sheep thieves of Middle Eastern appearance’ were confronted by a woman.

+5
View gallery

Richard ‘Willsy’ Wills is believed to have been dragged behind a vehicle and shot

+5
View gallery

A man is dragged behind a motorbike through the township of Clunes in the Australian classic Mad Max

Bikies in Clunes in the original Mad Max. Locals there have complained about sheep being stolen

‘She was threatened with physical violence and they sped off, but now there is a possible link to last Sunday’s fatal incident at Ouyen,’ he posted online.

Mr Butler claimed suspected thieves were spotted crawling through the grass outside sheep farms in Kurting – about 250km south of where Mr Wills was murdered.

‘Two Middle Eastern men, crawling along the Wedderburn-Brananah Rd, stopping briefly at each property on Tuesday. No rego,’ he warned locals.

On Sunday, another woman posted on the online Clunes noticeboard in the hope of finding 100 lambs she feared had been stolen by the suspected Merino Mafia.

‘Looking for any information regarding stolen sheep from the Creswick Rd, Clunes near the meerkat resort between 7pm and 7am on April 11/12,’ she wrote.

‘We believe 100 or more unshorn lambs were stolen from a shearing shed on the Creswick Rd and some shearing equipment. If anyone saw anything, please let me know.’

The brutal murder of Mr Wills has angered local farmers who are fed up with what some have attributed to a lack of action by police in investigating the sheep thefts.

‘The coppers had to wait until someone was killed? Absolute disgrace,’ one said.

+5
View gallery

Locals believe this vehicle was caught in the act stealing sheep in Kurting in August last year

Mr Wills had gone to work at his rural property on the Mallee Highway about 8am as usual, after his daily farewell kiss for his wife of 32 years, Donna.

When he didn’t return for lunch, family members scoured the 650-hectare share-cropping and livestock farm searching for him to no avail.

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.

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.’

Mrs Wills choked back tears as she told reporters about the last time she saw her beloved husband alive.

+5
View gallery

Mr Wills was murdered at his farm in Ouyen on the border of South Australia and Victoria

+5
View gallery

Mr Wills was expected home for Easter lunch but never arrived

Join the discussion2 comments

Are rural communities being failed by authorities in the battle against organised livestock crime?

What’s your view?

‘He just kissed me goodbye, and I imagined I would see him at lunchtime,’ she said.

‘Five kids, lots of grandkids that are gonna miss him … If he needed a tyre, he’d help them. If he needed fuel, he’d help them.

‘He was one to help anyone – kind-hearted, give you anything.’

Police said they were shocked at the brutality of the crime. Detectives believe Mr Wills was likely killed by someone he knew.

‘We’re hoping that this appeal leads to someone coming forward and doing the right thing, it can be done anonymously, so that we can hold those responsible to account,’ Sen Sgt Trewavas said.

Anyone with information on the crime ought to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.