One of Australia’s most intriguing murders finally ended after Gregory Lynn was found guilty of killing Carol Clay, but not guilty of the murder of her secret lover Russell Hill.
The mixed verdict, delivered in the Supreme Court of Victoria on Tuesday afternoon, brought to an end a case that has plagued Australia for the past four years.
Clay, 73, and Hill, 74, went missing in the Wonnanangatta Valley in Victoria’s alpine region on March 20, 2020.
Their disappearance initially baffled authorities, with many assuming the secret lovers had eloped together.
But as suspicions grew over his fate, detectives were inundated with clues about a supposedly sinister and mysterious local figure known as the “Button Man” roaming the High Country.
As of July 2020, police had received 159 information reports from the public in relation to the ‘lone eccentric’.
It is believed that he earned his nickname due to his hobby of using deer antlers to make buttons which he then sold at local markets.
Locals alleged that Button Man had a fearsome reputation and was known for his strange and often creepy behavior.
Secret lovers Carol Clay, 73 (left) and Russell Hill, 74 (right), disappeared in the Wonnanangatta Valley in Victoria’s alpine region on March 20, 2020.
Former Jetstar pilot Gregory Lynn (pictured) was found guilty of killing Clay, but not guilty of Hill’s murder.
He reportedly hunted deer with handmade spears and was known to camp for weeks at a time in a remote forest near a weather station called ‘The Crossroads’.
The man, described as being in his 70s and very fit, also reportedly scared other campers.
One bushman said that the Button Man had a “thousand-yard stare that made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.”
He is alleged to have once walked into a camp occupied by three former soldiers and asked them what they did.
One said “we hunt people,” to which Button Man supposedly responded, “Me too,” according to Age.
In another terrifying story, a wildlife photographer claimed he had stayed in the area around Button Man’s camp to take photographs.
As suspicions grew over his fate, detectives were inundated with clues about a supposedly sinister and mysterious local figure known as the ‘Button Man’ wandering the High Country (pictured).
Carol Clay and Russell Hill disappeared in the Wonnangatta Valley, more than 200 kilometers northeast of Melbourne.
Police suspect several items may have been stolen from the camp (pictured), including a drone which is now missing.
When he came home to download pictures from his camera, he found an inexplicable photograph of himself sleeping, with no idea who took it or when.
Button Man is also known to build roadside rock pyramids, stacking stones to indicate when a car has passed.
Several months after Ms. Clay and Mr. Hill disappeared, missing persons investigators visited Button Man after police were inundated with “constant” tips.
As of July 2020, police had received 159 information reports from the public in relation to him.
Another 50 reports were still pending.
“We had numerous IRs (information reports) nominating (Button Man) as a person of interest,” Agent Justin said at a pretrial hearing, reported Age.
‘We had people, members of the public or police officers reporting strange or strange encounters with this person.
“He frequented the area. Some people said we should go talk to him.”
One person reportedly said that Button Man “could look right through you and lie, big bushman and he could easily dispose of a body too.”
Ultimately, phone records eliminated Button Man from police investigations.
Detectives later approached Lynn after his dark-colored Nissan Patrol was caught on camera leaving the valley after the alleged murders.
The jury had been deliberating on murder charges against Lynn since June 14.
The verdict came a day after the jury returned to court to ask Judge Michael Croucher whether the two verdicts should be the same.
The jury had heard that the prosecution could offer no motive as to how they alleged Lynn had murdered Mr Hill.
The 12-person jury unanimously found that Lynn murdered Ms. Clay in cold blood before attempting to cover her tracks by burning and destroying evidence.
Sobs were heard throughout the courtroom as the verdicts were pronounced.
Wearing a black suit and blue shirt, Lynn showed little emotion as the verdicts were pronounced.
He will return to court at a date to be determined for a pre-sentence hearing.
