Manhunt for Australian suspected of murdering retired US Navy veteran

American national dies in Cebu City — Cebu Police on Manhunt for Australian Murder Suspect of Retired US Navy American in Busay, Cebu – www.plnmedia.com

A massive manhunt operation is now on for Australian called Craeg Ratcliff, a suspect in the murder of American Timothy Wilson of Cebu City.

Police are now saying that 42-year-old Ratcliff, who was living in Caltrave, Negros Occidental, has been tagged as the suspect in the killing of 60-year-old Timothy Wilson, a US Navy veteran.

Ratcliff is accused of burning Mr Wilson inside his Toyota Rav-4 in the hills of Busay, Cebu.

Mr Wilson’s wife identified her husband as the man who was found inside the burnt vehicle. PNP Crime Laboratory also had confirmation from his dental records.

Police said they were waiting for the autopsy results to see if Mr Wilson was killed before the burning of the vehicle or if he died inside the vehicle and was still alive, but unconscious.

Mr Wilson’s wife said Ratcliff owed her husband $500,000 from a failed mining business, and from the statement given by her, along with CCTV footage from the Cebu Hilltop Hotel.

Craeg Keith Ratcliff suspect of burning car in Busay. (contributed)

Police say may have known Ratcliff as Kevin Kline, an alias.

Based on an initial report, Ratcliff was to check out the day of the murder, but extended a few hours and left just before police realised the story behind the burning of the vehicle.

Mr Wilson’s wife told police that Ratcliff picked her husband up at the couple’s home early on Wednesday morning. The wife said she was not at home at the time, but that their family grounds keeper saw him.