Inquest into the suspected death of Florabella Natalia Marion Remakel, aka Marion Barter
Deceased
Florabella Natalia Marion Remakel, formerly known as Marion Barter
Demographics
51y, female
Finding date
2024-02-29
Cause of death
Unable to determine cause of death
AI-generated summary
Marion Barter (51) disappeared in 1997 after changing her identity to Florabella Natalia Marion Remakel. She sold her house, resigned from her teaching position, and travelled to England on 22 June 1997, returning on 2 August 1997 without informing family. She was last seen on 15 October 1997 when she withdrew $80,000 from her bank account. Evidence strongly suggests she was in a relationship with Ric Blum, a married man with a history of exploiting vulnerable women. The coroner found Marion deceased after 15 October 1997, likely via foul play involving Blum, but cannot determine exact cause or manner. NSW Police investigation was inadequate from 1997-2007, classified Marion as 'located' in 2011 contrary to policy, and resumed only in 2019. Inadequate initial investigation destroyed crucial evidence including bank records.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Error types
Contributing factors
- Relationship with Ric Blum who exploited vulnerable women
- Changed identity to Florabella Natalia Marion Remakel
- Withdrew $80,000 from bank account in October 1997
- Represented herself as married and resident of Luxembourg upon return
- Failed to contact family after return from overseas
- Inadequate police investigation from 1997-2007
Coroner's recommendations
- Refer investigation into the death of Florabella Natalia Marion Remakel, formerly known as Marion Barter, to or remain within the State Crime Command Unsolved Homicide Team for ongoing investigation, review, and monitoring
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