Found Deceased Australia - Russell Hill, 74, & Carol Clay, 72, Wonnangatta Valley, 20 Mar 2020 #6 *charges*

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TootsieFootsie said:
www.dailymail.co.uk

Accused killer of secret campers shares his version of events

Elderly camper Carol Clay was shot through the head and killed when her secret lover Russell Hill attempted to grab former Jetstar pilot Greg Lynn's gun, a court has head.
www.dailymail.co.uk www.dailymail.co.uk

Elderly camper Carol Clay was shot through the head and killed when her secret lover Russell Hill attempted to grab a gun away from former Jetstar pilot Greg Lynn, a court has head.

Gregory Lynn, 55, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Monday charged with the murders of Mr Hill, 74, and Ms Clay, 73.

Forensic expert Mark Gellatly revealed Lynn claims Ms Clay was killed instantly when his shotgun accidentally discharged a round into her head.


What about Russell, is he saying that was an accident too :(

Edited I meant to say if GL is saying what happened to Carol was accidental, then how come Russell is not still alive.


:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Yes, I don't think forensics can tell if it was accidental or on purpose. Just that Carol was shot in the head.

This article (paywalled) in The Age says that GL's barrister focused on the accidental theory. Not that the police focused on that theory. I think it sounds like GL's story, and Russell and Carol are no longer here to say what actually happened.

www.theage.com.au

Accused killer returned to High Country to burn campers’ bodies, court told

Alleged double killer Gregory Lynn went back to try and conceal the remains of missing campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay, police have alleged in newly released details about the case.
www.theage.com.au www.theage.com.au
 
I have been checking in and will continue to do.

Unfortunely I knew Carol was killed by a gunshot, but not that it was to the head. I feel so sick. And I know Russell died defending her, and he would have suffered especially seeing that happen to her. I'm just so heartbroken.
 
SouthAussie said:
Yes, I don't think forensics can tell if it was accidental or on purpose. Just that Carol was shot in the head.

This article (paywalled) in The Age says that GL's barrister focused on the accidental theory. Not that the police focused on that theory. I think it sounds like GL's story, and Russell and Carol are no longer here to say what actually happened.

www.theage.com.au

Accused killer returned to High Country to burn campers’ bodies, court told

Alleged double killer Gregory Lynn went back to try and conceal the remains of missing campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay, police have alleged in newly released details about the case.
www.theage.com.au www.theage.com.au
Click to expand...

Who goes to ‘speak’ to someone with a loaded firearm under any circumstances but especially, if there’s a heated argument?
If Russell, unwisely, decided to wrestle the firearm away from GL, he must have felt it was a life or death situation, Imo.
How can we trust GL’s account, they may have wrestled and Russell was shot and then, he shot Carol, how can it be proven who was killed first?
GL is very clever to go with Carol being accidentally shot if it’s not true, fitting the scenario, ‘he’s not that callous to shoot an elderly woman in cold blood’. GL allegedly destroyed all evidence to what took place, it’s his story now, JMO
 
I have a really hard time believing none of the other campers heard this major scuffle before or after CC was shot. I can only imagine the sound RH would have made when she was shot. I think it's more plausible that GL was fuming about the campsite situation and ambushed them. I don't believe any of it was accidental.
 
Kemug said:
I am thinking now that GL may have shot down Russell's drone. That would certainly have made Russell mad enough to confront him. And cause GL to get rid of the damaged drone.
Click to expand...
That's a good theory. I can't imagine what else could have happened that made GL approach RH while carrying a firearm. RH's new toy was a top of the range drone costing about $2,000 and if it had been shot down he would have been furious and perhaps he wanted to wrest the gun from him.

This case is starting to do my head in.
 
TootsieFootsie said:
www.9news.com.au

Pilot accused of returning to scene of alleged murder to 'further tamper with remains' of then-missing Melbourne campers

Victoria Police forensic officer Mark Gellatly said some evidence was consistent with an accidental gun sho...
www.9news.com.au www.9news.com.au

Police used listening devices and phone intercepts during their investigation and allege Lynn was overheard having conversations with himself, referring to the deaths of Hill and Clay.
Click to expand...

Wow! I bet they heard a lot of interesting things.
 
MOO ---- So far I have to keep thinking that RH may have set up a temporary camp in the spot he wanted for himself and CC when he was reportedly camping near there on March 11-13 and seen at King Billy. (It is common for ppl to do this unfortunately, espacially ppl who feel entitled to reserve a spot because they camp in an area frequently). He thought he had nabbed the best spot for hismelf and Carol to go to a few days later, but as he drove in with Carol, he saw that there were other vehicles parked in front of his spot. This may be why he drove past the weed contractor fast and without saying hello and looking grumpy. This might be why he then parked unusually close behind the 2 vehicles already parked at the spot and walked straight into the bush beside the toilet block - to see what had happened to the stuff he had left set up at the site. This may have then resulted in some disagreement with the campers there, with RH accusing them of moving/taking his stuff. He may have then set up elsewhere and had to go back and collect his stuff that the other campers had set up around or moved?? (so far I am now confused if he had set up near the other vehicles or moved on and set up elsewhere?) This may be why he was reported to have got there on 19th but then told his friend on the radio that he had to finish setting up on 20th - as he had to move camp? Did he fly his drone in an annoying way to disturb the people in the spot he had wanted???) Did GL go to RH and CC's campite - telling them to stop flying the drone over his camp or he was going to shoot it down - and the altercation got out of hand, CC was shot and bullet fragments mortally wounded RH? In old pics it appeared there were bullet/pellet marks on side of RH's vehicle, which was much debated here. Who was the white ute person parked nxt to the blue patrol that allegedly belonged to GL? Why 2 vehicles so close if they werent there together? Sorry for long msg!
edit: link to brief camping timeline Timeline
 
Last edited:
GL allegedly returned to a scene of the crime twice as police investigated the disappearance of Melbourne campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay.

A summary of police evidence released in Court today sets out some of the allegations against GL but doesn't outline details of how or why they say he killed the pair.

But police allege the circumstances of their deaths and GL's behaviour afterwards is consistent with him having intended to kill them, or at least cause really serious injury.

It's alleged he contaminated and staged the crime scene, intentionally destroyed evidence and removed evidence before disposing of the couple's remains.

Police allege he put a gas bottle inside the couple's tent and set fire to their camp, before packing up his own campsite.

They believe it's likely he put the bodies in a box trailer he was towing before disposing of them as he left the area on the Dargo side of the Wonnangatta Track via Grant Junction.

"In May 2020 and/or November 2020, the accused returned to the bodies of Hill and Clay, where he further tampered with the human remains to dispose of the deceased," the document alleges.
"This involved burning, dispersing and partially interring them."

Police used listening devices and phone intercepts during their investigation and allege GLwas overheard having conversations with himself, referring to their deaths.

The campsite was re-examined by police in March 2022 leading to the discovery of bone and lead fragments.

CC's DNA was found on the lead, confirmed to be part of a bullet, while analysis on the bone is still underway, according to the police summary.

Pilot accused of returning to scene of alleged murder to 'further tamper with remains' of then-missing Melbourne campers
 
Victorian police asked one of its forensic officers, Mark Gellatly, to work on the scenario that CC had been killed when RH attempted to grab GL’s shotgun and the two men wrestled for control of the weapon.

Gellatly agreed with a suggestion put to him by Dermot Dann KC, that he'd been unable to “rule in or rule out” the scenario after examining forensic material on the passenger side of RH’s car. He said, “That’s right, it’s a possible explanation at this point”.

Gellatly confirmed no trace of blood was detected on multiple items seized from GL’s home after he was arrested and said that no blood was detected on two shotguns he examined.



Carol Clay may have been accidentally shot when partner wrestled with Greg Lynn at Victorian campsite
 
mrjitty said:
Thanks for all the links everyone!
Click to expand...
I'm glad you're here. I have a question for you.

If RH was trying to wrestle a gun from GL, it accidentally discharged and killed CC, would the prosecution be able to bring a manslaughter charge against GL? As RH is no longer living, we're unable to get a different side to the story.

The fact that the men were close to RH's car and DNA was found on the car roof, it would seem to me that GL was the aggressor.
 
srper2 said:
MOO ---- So far I have to keep thinking that RH may have set up a temporary camp in the spot he wanted for himself and CC when he was reportedly camping near there on March 11-13 and seen at King Billy. (It is common for ppl to do this unfortunately, espacially ppl who feel entitled to reserve a spot because they camp in an area frequently). He thought he had nabbed the best spot for hismelf and Carol to go to a few days later, but as he drove in with Carol, he saw that there were other vehicles parked in front of his spot. This may be why he drove past the weed contractor fast and without saying hello and looking grumpy. This might be why he then parked unusually close behind the 2 vehicles already parked at the spot and walked straight into the bush beside the toilet block - to see what had happened to the stuff he had left set up at the site. This may have then resulted in some disagreement with the campers there, with RH accusing them of moving/taking his stuff. He may have then set up elsewhere and had to go back and collect his stuff that the other campers had set up around or moved?? (so far I am now confused if he had set up near the other vehicles or moved on and set up elsewhere?) This may be why he was reported to have got there on 19th but then told his friend on the radio that he had to finish setting up on 20th - as he had to move camp? Did he fly his drone in an annoying way to disturb the people in the spot he had wanted???) Did GL go to RH and CC's campite - telling them to stop flying the drone over his camp or he was going to shoot it down - and the altercation got out of hand, CC was shot and bullet fragments mortally wounded RH? In old pics it appeared there were bullet/pellet marks on side of RH's vehicle, which was much debated here. Who was the white ute person parked nxt to the blue patrol that allegedly belonged to GL? Why 2 vehicles so close if they werent there together? Sorry for long msg!
edit: link to brief camping timeline Timeline
Click to expand...
That theory that he had saved his camp adds a tension point that feels like has been missing so far. Good post!
 
A Victorian detective confirmed she recorded a conversation with GL without his knowledge more than a year before he was charged with the murders.

Det Sen Const Abbey Justin said she and a colleague from the missing persons squad visited his home in July 2020.

She said police had been able to eliminate as suspects the drivers of 11 cars detected on automatic number plate recognition cameras at Mount Hotham, near where the campers went missing, but were yet to clear GL at the time of the visit.

When she attended GL’s property, she said she noticed that a car parked outside, which she believed to be the same vehicle detected by the cameras, had been painted a different colour.

She said she recorded GL without his knowledge and didn't give him a caution, as at that stage he was only a witness she wanted to speak with to confirm he was driving at the time the photo was taken.

Carol Clay may have been accidentally shot when partner wrestled with Greg Lynn at Victorian campsite
 
JudgeJudi said:
A Victorian detective confirmed she recorded a conversation with GL without his knowledge more than a year before he was charged with the murders.

Det Sen Const Abbey Justin said she and a colleague from the missing persons squad visited his home in July 2020.

She said police had been able to eliminate as suspects the drivers of 11 cars detected on automatic number plate recognition cameras at Mount Hotham, near where the campers went missing, but were yet to clear GL at the time of the visit.

When she attended GL’s property, she said she noticed that a car parked outside, which she believed to be the same vehicle detected by the cameras, had been painted a different colour.

She said she recorded GL without his knowledge and didn't give him a caution, as at that stage he was only a witness she wanted to speak with to confirm he was driving at the time the photo was taken.

Carol Clay may have been accidentally shot when partner wrestled with Greg Lynn at Victorian campsite
Click to expand...

So basically he has been a hot suspect right from the start?

Last man standing who could not be eliminated ...
 
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