Found Deceased Australia - Russell Hill, 74, & Carol Clay, 72, Wonnangatta Valley, 20 Mar 2020 #4 *ARREST*

[Awakening]

Apologies to @BrumbyJack as I'm also on the footy one and I'm repeating myself.

Long shot but wondering if Lynn had any connection with David Prideaux. Both around the same age, high level careers, hunters, gun owners, camped in the area, both lived in Melbournes west.

The thing that niggles me (and I posted this about 10 pages back) is that it's one thing to "accidentally" kill somebody during an altercation but to then go whoops, looks like now I have to kill you too, and take out another person?

To go from not murdering someone to killing 2 at once? And then to hide the bodies, destroy evidence and slot back into family life.

Seems more consistent with someone who has killed before IMO.

If the Herald could look into any link I'd appreciate it

 

[srper2]

It does seem unlikely that he disposed of the bodies near Licola. [If indeed he is the perpetrator of Mr Hill and ms Clay's disappearance - i.e. he had no lent his vehicle to someone else]
In these cases police arrest when they have enough information to justify it and sustain a charge, and so that the arrestee can be questioned (though the arrestee can remain silent). They can also move in to prevent the destruction of evidence, harm to others, intimidation of witnesses or the person harming themselves. The police have not yet announced why they chose this moment to arrest this man and the press reports saying that had to and there was some urgency, might suggest either the destruction of evidence or self-harm.

Could they have been worried that he was camped right next to a school camp full of teenagers and may have done something dangerous?

 

[Skyboy90]

So if it was an accident, and he say reversed over them, or some other similar story, what is the punishment?

Those who have gone through life without a single Red Cross to their name, have always done the right thing, then do something accidentally, don’t these people sort of just panic, and so on, hide bodies, try to believe nothing happened and so on? It’s not the first time we have seen people like this, with such a high level of intellect, then something happens to them and they don’t know how to handle it.

His in such a job, that he knows if he goes to the police and say he accidentally reversed over them etc, regardless it will be some form of criminal mark, there goes the aviation career (need a clean record). Perhaps he then freaked out in the moment and tried to cover it up?

Defiantly not the murder type so it’s got to be something like that.

 

[srper2]

Please let me know if I am allowed to post Captain Russell Hills nickname that crew call him at work ? Thanks x

Captain Russell Hill or did you mean Capt. Greg Lynn?

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Carol Clay, Russell Hill disappearance: Gregory Lynn’s neighbours, colleagues express shock

People who worked with Mr Lynn have been told they are no longer allowed to publicly comment.
I suppose that came from Jetstar and not the police.

Behind paywall

 

[Sher Lock]

Apologies to @BrumbyJack as I'm also on the footy one and I'm repeating myself.

Long shot but wondering if Lynn had any connection with David Prideaux. Both around the same age, high level careers, hunters, gun owners, camped in the area, both lived in Melbournes west.

The thing that niggles me (and I posted this about 10 pages back) is that it's one thing to "accidentally" kill somebody during an altercation but to then go whoops, looks like now I have to kill you too, and take out another person?

To go from not murdering someone to killing 2 at once? And then to hide the bodies, destroy evidence and slot back into family life.

Seems more consistent with someone who has killed before IMO.

If the Herald could look into any link I'd appreciate it

I agree that he may well have killed prior to this incident. Hopefully we're not looking at a serial killer in the high country considering there are a few mystery disappearances in the past few years.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I read that they "had concerns for him" so brought forward their plan.

I'm thinking they had reason to believe he might take his own life and with it, possibly any chance to find Russell and Carol.

The police have not yet announced why they chose this moment to arrest this man

 

[Detective Willy]

they would have to have either

A - charged him
B - got an extension from a judge
C - released him
by now right? its passed the 48 hour deadline about 10 mins a go

It seems not. I looked this up this morning and got this:

How long you can be held in custody without being charged?

The answer seems to be "as long as they want".

In Victoria "The police can only keep you in custody for a reasonable time before they charge you. The law does not say what a reasonable time is".

Being arrested | Victoria Legal Aid

 

[Skyboy90]

Seven reported he had a argument with his wife before leaving. I assume she was aware that he is probably involved in this at that point.

 

[Arboreal]

Unless I’m wrong, I don’t think anyone here realised the 60 Minutes segment was a trap? A guy on Reddit had it figured from the get go

Contrary to a lot of opinion, modern police are not supposed to lies to the community in cases like this. They can withhold information but not outright lie. Similarly, unlike the US, where they can, police in Australia are not supposed to lie to a person being interviewed or deliberately generate a false belief. Police however, can drip feed information in order to pressure the individual. This can be in person or via the media. That is what we saw here. If you look at the statements the police made, going back to late last year, the police are saying they were confident of resolving the case. The search for the shovels was very public and I thought at the time it was intended to give their quarry the willies. And so it continued, releasing information about the one vehicle they had not managed ot eliminate, then the type of vehicle, and so on.
Other posters have said the man arrested had a firearms collection and were concerned about self-harm. His possibly being armed would explain the SoG. Otherwise, they could just approach him at a public place and say, "You are under arrest....". That actually happens a lot.
As for interviewing, have a look on youtube at this interview from Canada:

. It's long, but its the same approach used in Australia, these days. Calm, empathetic, interested. The one difference is that the police will get base line information about his movements, interests, pattern of life, and then gradually ask him various things about his various country adventures, where he went and where, what he can remember (goes to how good his memory is) and whether he had ever met Mr Hill and Ms Clay. It often is not chronological, not at first. The objective is to tease out contradictions, unreasonable explanations and so on and get the person to see they have no room to move and then try to get from them the location of the bodies and how they disposed of them. This can take hours. But it is remarkably effective. The days of the lead pipe in the bicycle tube are long gone.

 

[Arboreal]

Are we saying GL could be a SK?

I wonder if the police will find cable ties and duct tape?

 

[PingTheRouter]

The answer seems to be "as long as they want".

In Victoria "The police can only keep you in custody for a reasonable time before they charge you. The law does not say what a reasonable time is".

wow .. i figured we were like other places in the world and australia

jeez whats a reasonable amount of time? personally, some might think 12 hours is a long period of time let alone days?

 

[Arboreal]

Could they have been worried that he was camped right next to a school camp full of teenagers and may have done something dangerous?

If we presume the police were tailing him then, yes. Last think you want is a person who is known to have firearms available ot them, not know if they are armed, but near members of the public, especially school children, and in a remote area.

 

[Arboreal]

I read that they "had concerns for him" so brought forward their plan.

I'm thinking they had reason to believe he might take his own life and with it, possibly any chance to find Russell and Carol.

Thank you. That makes sense. I hope, if this man is responsible for the disappearance of Mr Hill and Ms clay, that he provides full and frank assistance to the police.

 

[Arboreal]

wow .. i figured we were like other places in the world and australia

jeez whats a reasonable amount of time? personally, some might think 12 hours is a long period of time let alone days?

It does not mean indefinitely nor incommunicado [except in terrorism cases, but there are strict time limits.]
There comes a point where the individual must be released or charged. Although there is no legislated period of time, it seems, 48 to 72 hours would seem to be the range. The police can of course apply for the arrest to continue, but courts generally these days are reluctant to lock people up, wihtout charge or appearing before a court.

The judicial college, Victoria [6.15.5. Rights of arrested and detained persons] has this to say:

(7) Any person deprived of liberty by arrest or detention is entitled to apply to a court for a declaration or order regarding the lawfulness of his or her detention, and the court must—

(a) make a decision without delay; and

(b) order the release of the person if it finds that the detention is unlawful.

- the common law writ of habeas corpus, designed to allow a person who is detained to challenge the lawfulness of their detention

 

[PingTheRouter]

There comes a point where the individual must be released or charged. Although there is no legislated period of time, it seems, 48 to 72 hours would seem to be the range. The police can of course apply for the arrest to continue, but courts generally these days are reluctant to lock people up, wihtout charge or appearing before a court.

right so its similar to the other one the time period just isn't set

so if you needed the person held for a few more days you'd probably have to present case to a judge as to why?

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Thanks for yor insight Arboreal!

Contrary to a lot of opinion, modern police are not supposed to lies to the community in cases like this. They can withhold information but not outright lie. Similarly, unlike the US, where they can, police in Australia are not supposed to lie to a person being interviewed or deliberately generate a false belief. Police however, can drip feed information in order to pressure the individual

 

[silverau]

I agree that he may well have killed prior to this incident. Hopefully we're not looking at a serial killer in the high country considering there are a few mystery disappearances in the past few years.

Hopefully not a SK but if so, at least the families and loved ones would be closer to knowing what happened to their missing.

 

[minusfour]

It's bizarre. I was expecting a really wild character, someone who spent their life in the Bush, not in permanent work, possibly up to something dubious that night that kicked it all off and who knew the high country like the back of his hand.

This is actually more insane.

I think button man-who may match your description-got quite a bit of heat early on. You are right, this is more insane!

 

[sapphire blue]

Apologies to @BrumbyJack as I'm also on the footy one and I'm repeating myself.

Long shot but wondering if Lynn had any connection with David Prideaux. Both around the same age, high level careers, hunters, gun owners, camped in the area, both lived in Melbournes west.

The thing that niggles me (and I posted this about 10 pages back) is that it's one thing to "accidentally" kill somebody during an altercation but to then go whoops, looks like now I have to kill you too, and take out another person?

To go from not murdering someone to killing 2 at once? And then to hide the bodies, destroy evidence and slot back into family life.

Seems more consistent with someone who has killed before IMO.

If the Herald could look into any link I'd appreciate it

If he is a SK then his movements over the years will need to be looked into - places he has flown into, had layovers in or holidayed at. That’s going to be a huge job.