The shotgun bullet that killed elderly camper Carol Clay remained buried at the original crime scene in the remote Victorian wilderness for just under two years.
Former Jetstar pilot Greg Lynn has pleaded not guilty in the Victorian Supreme Court to the murders of secret lovers Russell Hill, 74, and Carol Clay, 73, in the Wonnanangatta Valley in Victoria’s Alpine region. on March 20, 2020.
On Tuesday, senior ballistics expert Constable Paul Griffiths told jurors he found the March 2, 2022, 12-gauge bullet allegedly used to kill Ms Clay at the site where her burnt campsite was found.
Greg Lynn to appear in the Supreme Court of Victoria
The mangled slug was further found to contain fibers and “biological material” believed to be that of Ms Clay.
The jury previously heard claims that the bullet that killed Ms Clay blew out the passenger side mirror of Mr Hill’s Landcruiser before hitting Ms Clay in the head.
‘As quite a bit of time had passed, we had to use a sifting technique. So we went down about an inch in that area,” she said.
Using a metal detector, the detective located glass fragments and the bullet, he told the court.
“It was a projectile fired with a significant amount of impact damage,” Officer Griffiths said.
Another search a week later turned up more alleged evidence, including bone fragments.
Constable Griffiths said he was sent back into the bush in March 2022 in the hope of finding evidence that may have been overlooked before.
“The purpose was to look for other items and from memory find cartridge casings… and other bone fragments,” he told the jury.
On Wednesday, the jury heard it took weeks for Victoria Police’s Missing Persons Unit to take over the case.
Detective Senior Constable Amy Frost was initially tasked with investigating the couple’s disappearance after they were reported missing on March 26.
She turned the investigation over to the Missing Persons Unit’s lead detective, Abbey Justin, on April 20, initiating an investigation that would ultimately lead to Lynn’s arrest.
The 12 gauge ‘Barathrum Arms’ model left handed shotgun was displayed by Senior Constable Griffiths from the witness box.
Police believe the side mirror of Russell Hill’s car was shot out (pictured)
Police found the mangled bullet believed to have killed Carol Clay almost two years later at this location.
The jury noted that Lynn had attached a laser sight to the pistol-grip shotgun, which contained its ammunition in a magazine.
The butt of the gun had holes where more ammunition could be placed inside.
The court heard that the shotgun needed to be cocked and loaded each time it was fired.
The jury heard Lynn claim he tried to grab the firearm from Mr Hill when the gun went off and Ms Clay was hit in the head.
Constable Griffiths told the court that Lynn’s gun was thoroughly tested and found to be in excellent condition.
Tests found that Lynn’s gun had a stiff trigger that was harder to pull than a normal shotgun.
“Being higher means you have to pull the trigger harder to fire the gun,” he said.
Police also discovered that the gun did not discharge accidentally when it was hit or dropped from a height of just under half a meter.
“It tells me the firearm is in good working order,” Officer Griffiths said.
Carol Clay was allegedly shot in the head by Greg Lynn
Lynn claims Russell Hill was stabbed after falling on knife during deadly struggle
During cross-examination by Lynn’s solicitor Dermot Dann KC, Senior Constable Griffiths was criticized for failing to verify Lynn’s story before carrying out trajectory tests.
The jury heard that the detective had not used Lynn’s shotgun to conduct the tests, despite previously saying at a preliminary hearing that he had.
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.
