On October 24, 2019, Ruth Ridley, a 58-year-old mom from Port Macquarie, New South Wales vanished mysteriously.
She was last spotted at a nearby supermarket.
Her marriage was marked by a history of domestic violence.
Gary, Ruth's estranged husband, who is also a former policeman, is suspected of murdering her in October 2019.
They both went on a camping trip and never returned.
After Ruth's disappearance, Gary's body was found in a car near the border.
However, no trace of Ruth has been found since then, whether dead or alive.
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| Ruth Ridley |
Background
Ruth Ridley, born in 1961, was married to Gary Ridley for over 40 years.
They lived in Tumbarumba, New South Wales, and had three children: Nathan, Steven, and another son.
Before her disappearance, Ruth was on her way to a family reunion camping trip at Neil's Reserve in Wallowa, Victoria.
She was on this trip with her estranged husband, Gary Ridley.
The trip was meant to help Ruth reconnect with her children and grandchildren, but sadly, she never made it home.
Ruth was known for her kindness and commitment to her family.
Her marriage had a history of domestic violence, but despite ongoing marital problems, she remained hopeful for a resolution.
However, her hopes were shattered when she went missing.
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| Gary Ridley |
Disappearance
On October 30, 2019, several days after she left for the trip without any contact, a worried family member reported her missing.
This led to an urgent search involving both New South Wales and Victoria Police.
During the investigation, detectives confirmed that on October 26, 2019, Ruth's dark blue Mitsubishi Pajero was seen towing a caravan toward Tumbarumba.
The following day, the caravan was no longer attached to the vehicle.
Timeline of Events
October 24, 2019: Security camera footage shows Ruth and Gary together at an Albury Supermarket.
October 26, 2019: Footage shows Ruth's Pajero leaving Tumbarumba towing her caravan.
October 27, 2019: The Pajero returns without the caravan. Gary is seen buying fuel.
A photo taken on Ruth's phone around October 27 shows Gary holding a fish he caught while camping at Neil's Bend Reserve on the banks of the Murray River.
The last confirmed sighting of Gary Ridley, was when he bought fuel on October 27
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| Ruth and Gary together |
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| Gary buying fuel |
Investigation
The case took a dark turn on November 5, 2019.
Ruth's car was discovered in Shelley, Victoria, about 40 kilometers from Neil's Reserve.
Inside the vehicle was Gary Ridley's body.
The postmortem report revealed that Gary had taken his own life.
Despite this, Ruth remained missing.
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| Ruth Ridley's car |
Detective Inspector Adrian Telfer and Detective Leading Senior Constable Andrew Leonard led the investigation.
Even without finding Ruth's body, the police were convinced that Gary Ridley was responsible for her disappearance and presumed death.
Police suspect Gary Ridley due to their history of domestic violence and ongoing marital issues.
Investigators believe he murdered her and then took his own life.
His body was found in a car with evidence suggesting he hid her body after the incident.
The case has been marked by a lack of physical evidence despite extensive search and investigations.
This has led authorities to conclude that Gary was responsible for her death.
Extensive searches were carried out in Koryong and Walwa, including the use of specialized cadaver dogs.
However, no trace of Ruth was found.
A key piece of evidence was a photo on Ruth's phone.
This picture showed Gary holding a fish he caught at Neil's Bend Reserve on the Murray River around October 27th, 2019.
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| Gary holding a fish |
The particular picture taken by Ruth Ridley is important because of when and where it was taken.
It was taken just before her disappearance while she was camping near the NSW-Victorian border with Gary.
Despite extensive searches around the Reserve, the case remains unsolved, and no trace of Ruth was found.
Aftermath and Ongoing Efforts
The disappearance of Ruth Ridley devastated her family.
Her son, Nathan Ridley, struggled with the painful reality that his father might have been involved in his mother's disappearance.
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| Nathan Ridley |
The thought that the man he once loved could have committed such a horrific act was deeply unsettling for Nathan.
The Ridley family had a history of domestic violence.
Ruth’s close friend, Marion Bremner, revealed that Ruth had long feared for her life because of Gary.
The last known communication from Ruth Ridley before her disappearance was a haunting diary entry.
In the entry, she asked God for strength not to go back to her estranged husband, Gary Ridley.
This entry, found by the police, shows her emotional distress and worries about her safety.
It also highlights the issues of domestic violence in their marriage.
Gary Ridley, a former Queensland police officer, was reportedly known for being highly manipulative.
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| Ruth Ridley |
The police have submitted a report to the coroner, expressing their belief that Gary Ridley was responsible for Ruth's death.
Detective Parker, who started the investigation, remains hopeful that finding Ruth's body will bring closure to the case and allow her family to grieve properly.
The couple's disappearance has left their three children without their parents.
Nathan Ridley, now dealing with the loss of both parents, hopes that his mother’s story will serve as a reminder of the impacts of domestic violence.
He encourages those in similar situations to seek help and leave abusive relationships.
The search for Ruth Ridley continues, with police urging the public to come forward with any information.
They are particularly interested in speaking with anyone who was camping at Neil's Reserve on the weekend of October 26th and 27th, 2019.
Detective Leonard has stressed that finding Ruth's body is crucial for giving her family the closure they desperately need.
[Sources]
[1] https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/aussie-mother-ruth-ridley-missing-believed-killed-by-husband-tearing-family-apart/b1f9081f-6b23-4d44-8c2c-1b30a5bfe179
[2] https://au.news.yahoo.com/tragic-twist-in-case-of-missing-woman-reported-missing-see-estranged-husband-214358636.html
[3] https://www.artistsathome.co.uk/artist/145/ruth-ridley
[4] https://www.amazon.com/Ruth-Ridley/e/B008DIBE2E%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
[5] https://www.linkedin.com/in/ridleyruth
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