Farmer Murdered, Community Mourns

0:00It's April 14th. Welcome in. This is Sydney News Today, where local news meets AI. A 65-year-old farmer named Richard Wills was found shot dead and buried in a shallow grave on his property in Oyan, way up in northwest, Victoria. He kissed his wife goodbye at 8 a.m. on Easter Sunday and headed out to work, but never came home for lunch. His family searched the farmer reported him missing the next day, with his body discovered on April 7th. He said he was dragged behind a vehicle across the property before being fatally shot, pointing to foul play by someone who likely knew him. Despite recent sheep thefts on the farm that Wills had reported, his family doesn't buy into theories of a bigger criminal ring targeting livestock. The close-knit farming community is reeling in shock, as this kind of violence just doesn't happen there. Wills, married 32 years with five kids, was known as a kind-hearted workaholic who helped anyone in need. His wife is especially devastated, having lost a daughter to epilepsy 10 years back.

1:01No arrests yet, but Victoria Police put out a public appeal over the weekend for tips to crack the case. Meanwhile, a fundraiser's pulled in over $9,240 toward a $10,000 goal to support the family through this. Nightmare As investigators keep digging, the outpouring of community love shows how much Wills meant to folks around Oyan hoping answers come soon to bring.