The blackened and mangled remains of the secret lover campers have been shown to jurors in the ongoing murder trial of former Jetstar pilot Greg Lynn.
Former Jetstar pilot Greg Lynn, 57, has pleaded not guilty in the Supreme Court of Victoria to the murders of Russell Hill, 74, and Carol Clay, 73, in the Wonnanangatta Valley in Victoria’s Alpine region. , on March 20, 2020.
On Wednesday, jurors endured macabre images of what remained of Mr. Hill and Mrs. Clay after Lynn burned, beat and scattered their remains in a remote desert.
The jury heard Lynn admit to detectives that he destroyed the bodies because he was worried about being wrongly accused of murdering them.
Shotgun Police Say Greg Lynn Used to Murder Elderly Camper Carol Clay
Greg Lynn to appear in the Supreme Court of Victoria
Other images showed the blackened chunk of the “big toe” bone, a broken ankle and a blackened and cracked tibia bone.
A ring, believed to be that of Mrs Clay, was also recovered from the scene.
The images were described in detail by forensic expert Dr Soren Blau, who said the bones were among about 2,000 fragments discovered by police at three locations, including the original camp where Lynn claims the “tragic accident” occurred.
The jury heard that at least 46 of those fragments were believed to have come from the campers’ skulls, and many other fragments could not be identified.
Lynn appeared to take notes throughout the gruesome evidence, which was shown on the courthouse’s big screen television.
On Tuesday, forensic entomologist Dr Melanie Archer told the jury that what was left of the campers had been “destroyed” by Lynn.
“The problem for the forensic pathologist is that the material he needs, the evidence he needs to help him make that decision has been erased,” he said.
‘There are no toxicological samples, so a toxicological contribution cannot be sought.
‘It cannot be examined for trauma due to the fragmentation of the remains.
“In the case of a natural disease, there were no soft tissues left; it was not possible there.”
Dr Archer said the problem was made even worse by what was left of the couple’s fire.
“The toxicological and soft tissue evidence that we would need to see cannot be seen in these highly altered and fragmented remains,” he said.
“So you’re left with the indeterminate as your only option.”
The jury previously heard that Lynn fully admitted burning and throwing the campers’ remains into the hole of a fallen tree.
He identified the location to detectives following his arrest in November 2021.
Greg Lynn’s shotgun was equipped with a laser sight.
Lynn claims Russell Hill was stabbed after falling on knife during deadly struggle
Carol Clay was allegedly shot in the head by Greg Lynn
The jury heard Lynn admit he disposed of the couple’s bodies in the bush after taking them away in his trailer.
The elderly couple’s accused killer claims it was Mr Hill who started the trouble that ended in tragedy.
The court heard Hill and Lynn had argued about Lynn hunting deer so close to other campers.
Later that night, Lynn decided to turn up the volume on her car stereo in an effort to annoy Mr Hill, the jury heard.
It was around 10 p.m. when Lynn noticed that Mr. Hill had gotten into her car and stolen her 12-gauge shotgun.
The jury heard that when Lynn tried to grab the firearm from Mr Hill, the gun went off and Ms Clay was hit in the head.
Seeing what had happened, Hill dropped the gun and ran toward Mrs. Clay’s body.
Dann said his client grabbed the gun and fired the remaining shots into the air before being attacked by an enraged Mr Hill.
“The next thing Mr. Hill advances towards him with a knife and yells ‘she’s dead,'” Mr. Dann said.
‘A fight developed over the knife. Mr. Lynn tries to defend himself (they are engaged in this fight) and as part of that fight the two men fall to the ground and the knife passes through Mr. Hill’s chest.
The trial continues.
