Police are investigating whether the baffling murder of a sheep farmer is linked to a ‘highly coordinated’ crime network making millions from stealing livestock.

Richard Wills, 65, was last seen leaving his home in Ouyen, about 450km northwest of Melbourne near the South Australian border, on Easter Sunday.

He went to work at his rural property on the Mallee Highway about 8am as part of his normal routine after kissing his wife of 32 years, Donna, goodbye.

However, he was a no-show for lunch, prompting family members to scour the 650-hectare share-cropping and livestock farm to no avail.

Donna Wills reported him missing on Monday morning when he still hadn’t returned. His body was found by police about 1.30pm the next afternoon. He had been fatally shot.

Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Trewavas of the Victoria Police’s Missing Persons Squad told reporters on Saturday that Mr Wills had clearly met with ‘foul play’.

He said one line of inquiry for investigators is whether livestock theft in the region was a facto. It is understood that, before his death, Mr Wills reported that some of his sheep had been stolen a while ago.

‘It is something that we are mindful of in relation to this investigation,’ he said.

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Richard Wills (pictured with wife Donna) was last seen leaving his home in Ouyen on Sunday

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Ouyen is about 450km northwest of Melbourne near the South Australian border

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He was found dead on his farm after being shot, an autopsy revealed

There were over 2,693 recorded offences for stolen livestock, burglary, break-ins, and theft at farms in Victoria in the year up to June 2025, Crime Stoppers Victoria has noted.

This costs the state’s farmers over $8million-a-year, yet farm crime remains one of the most underreported offences.

In one case, a farmer in Lexton had more than 1700 merino sheep – valued at $175,000 – stolen on three separate occasions between July 2023 and March 2025.

At the time, investigators said the scale of the thefts proved those responsible were ‘highly coordinated’ and ‘sophisticated’ criminals.

Police observed evidence suggesting Mr Wills had been dragged behind a vehicle and Senior Sergeant Trewavas said it is suspected he knew the person who killed him.

He said the scene that officers discovered upon finding Mr Wills’ body was ‘confronting’ and that an autopsy confirmed he was shot dead.

His remains had been buried and the killer’s motive remains unknown as investigators inspect the 600-acre sharecropping farm which has since become a crime scene.

‘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.’

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Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Trewavas said police are probing whether livestock theft was a fact in the death of Mr Wills

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In one case, a farmer in Lexton had more than 1700 merino sheep – valued at $175,000 – stolen across three occasions between July 2023 and March 2025

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One of Mr Wills’ children said the family had experienced loss a decade before when her sister passed away, adding ‘so it feels like yet another nightmare we don’t get to wake up from’

Officers spent the day between Mildura and Ouyen where they canvassed the local community and secured CCTV footage.

According to Senior Sergeant Trewavas, the farm’s location along the highway makes it easily accessible to passers-by.

Ms Wills also addressed the media on Saturday, describing her last moments with her husband.

‘He just kissed me goodbye. I thought I’d see him at lunchtime,’ she said.

When he had not returned that night, she thought he might have gone driving with a mate and they had broken down or had a flat tyre.

‘Why would they want to do it to him?’ she said.

One of Mr Wills’ children has also published an emotional statement on social media.

‘For those that don’t know, our beautiful Dad has been found,’ she wrote.

‘It is not the outcome we had hoped for and we are in shock and disbelief. We have a long road ahead while we wait for answers as to what has happened.

‘We feel held, loved and supported by all of our friends and family near and far.’

She said the family had experienced loss a decade before when her sister passed away, adding ‘so it feels like yet another nightmare we don’t get to wake up from’.