After missing for 10 years, Russell Jenkin was spotted by his wife and children in a shopping centre car park (pictured)
It had been more than 10 years since Russell Jenkin went missing after storming out of the house following a massive argument.
But there he was, walking across a shopping centre car park on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, in January this year.
Sandie Gillette and her son, who was four the last time he saw his father, are sure of it, the Brisbane Times reported.
The pair were more than 1800 kilometres from where they had last seen Mr Jenkin as he slammed the door to their home in Melbourne’s western suburbs, but it was definitely him.
As they walked out of the Stockland plaza at Caloundra and saw Mr Jenkin walking towards them, both Ms Gillette and her son were left stunned.
‘We were coming out of the shopping mall and he was coming towards us, casual-like, we then got into the car,’ she said.
‘We drove past him and he was observing us, and he took his sunglasses off and I thought, that’s definitely him.’
Ms Gillette said she didn’t stop to talk to her one-time lover, nor did he stop her.
Mr Jenkin, who would now be 47, left his family home in Werribee on September 22, 2006.
While watching the AFL he had gotten into an argument with his wife, who went into the next room and began watching a movie with her boys – then aged four and two.
That was until without warning he stood up, walked out the front door, jumped in the family’s Toyota Yaris and sped out of the driveway.
Sandie Gillette and her son, who was four the last time he saw his father, spotted him walking across a shopping centre car park (pictured) on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, in January
The next day his car was found more than 40 kilometres away at Lara football oval.
But until early January when he was spotted leaving the shopping centre alongside a woman in her 40s, that was the last time he was seen.
With Ms Gillette having never remarried, she said her sons still see Mr Jenkin as their father.
‘As the boys get older, they ask more questions, especially Ethan being the oldest, he’s not quite sure how he feels about seeing him,’ she said.
Anyone who sees Mr Jenkin is urged to contact Wyndham Crime Investigation Unit on 9742 9439, or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000