Australia - Russell Hill & Carol Clay Murdered While Camping - Wonnangatta Valley, 2020 #7

[Cliff Hardy]

I get the feeling the prosecutors are concentrating on how Carol died as they probably have strong evidence of this.

I suspect the forensic evidence may show a different story of how Carol died to what GL is saying. In my mind the story of a bullet ricocheting and killing Carol is totally sus. In fact, GLs story of how they both died is extremely suspicious in my mind...

We'll see how that plays out in the coming weeks no doubt.

I doubt it will play out well for Lynn. Has the look of a slam dunk for the prosecution IMO.

 

[JBowie]

Greg Lynn trial: Russell Hill’s wife and daughter to give evidence​

(paywalled)

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/breaking-news/greg-lynn-trial-jury-told-russell-hills-wife-and-daughter-to-give-evidence/news-story/e69cfd53c351b9dbf870f3e4a3c35c2b

 

[Tweet57]

Greg Lynn trial: Russell Hill’s wife and daughter to give evidence​

(paywalled)

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/breaking-news/greg-lynn-trial-jury-told-russell-hills-wife-and-daughter-to-give-evidence/news-story/e69cfd53c351b9dbf870f3e4a3c35c2b

Terribly sad for Robyn Hill and family. However it doesn’t justify or excuse Greg Lynn’s horrific actions.

 

[JBowie]

Terribly sad for Robyn Hill and family. However it doesn’t justify or excuse Greg Lynn’s horrific actions.

Interesting to learn that Hill pretended that Clay was his cousin, until he was outed to his wife by a neighbour.

 

[Cliff Hardy]

So Russell Hill claimed for decades that Carol Clay was his 'first cousin'. What a convenient little story. Until your wife finds out it's not true, of course.

 

[JudgeJudi]

Camper’s widow tells murder trial of affair ultimatum, a husband’s vow and radio silence

Robyn Hill said she had known CC for as long as her husband, who had introduced her as his cousin. But she told the Court that it was a neighbour’s intervention during her long marriage that finally led to her learning the pair were having an affair.

She said RH had helped build roads around the Wonnangatta Valley in the 1970s when he worked in the logging industry. They moved to Drouin in 2001, and around this time they went on trips as a group of four with CC and her husband.

During questioning from Dermot Dann, KC, she agreed that a neighbour gave RH an ultimatum to confess his affair with CC, or she would tell Robyn herself.

At that time, she said, her husband had claimed he would end the affair and stop seeing CC.

In March 2020 when RH was leaving for a camping trip to the valley, she believed he was going alone.

 

[JudgeJudi]

Camper’s widow tells murder trial of affair ultimatum, a husband’s vow and radio silence

RH’s eldest daughter, Debra Hill, told the jury she was aware her father was going on a camping trip to Wonnangatta towards the end of March 2020, but also believed he was going alone. She recalled her mother calling her on March 25 after they hadn’t heard from him in days.

"She was concerned that she hadn’t heard Dad on the radio because she often listened to check everything was OK,” Debra said. “I said, ‘I think you should call the police’ because I could tell in her voice she was very worried.”

 

[JudgeJudi]

Police officer’s tour of campsite: Burnt remains but no blood

Crime scene officer Sgt Tanner gave evidence to the jury. He said he visited the campsite on March 28, 2020 and described what he saw: The white Toyota Landcruiser with fire damage to one side and a wire strung off the back and high into a nearby tree which he believed this was an antenna for a high-frequency radio.

He pointed out in photographs shown to the jury the fire wreckage including burnt solar panels, a camping stove, gas cylinders, an electronic tablet and buckets.

Inside the cabin of the ute was a black leather wallet in the driver’s side footwell, with cards scattered underneath, and an open green wallet in the passenger footwell with CC’s driver’s licence and Medicare card inside.

Dann asked about the canopy of the ute, which GL claims was open when CC was accidentally shot. Tanner said he did not see any blood stains or human tissue in that area.

Camper’s widow tells murder trial of affair ultimatum, a husband’s vow and radio silence

 

[JudgeJudi]

Trial loses juror to illness

A juror has been excused during the second week of evidence.

Justice Croucher told the remaining 14 jurors on that while it was not clear how long the woman would be unwell, he had decided to continue without her. He told them, “That juror has contacted us this morning and explained that she’s not well”. “I’ve formed the view that it’s better to carry on with 14 of you, rather than wait to see what happens with her health. That juror has been discharged". “The reason we empanelled 15 is just for that eventuality.”

He said that 12 jurors are needed to deliver a verdict.

Camper’s widow tells murder trial of affair ultimatum, a husband’s vow and radio silence

 

[JBowie]

There was mention earlier in this thread of someone known to Hill having been killed in a shooting accident:

[Hill's wife] confirmed a relative of Mr Hill, Gary Hill, had been accidentally killed in the Wonnangatta Valley in 1994 by his nephew who mistook him for a deer.

Mrs Hill told the jury her husband had been on anti-depressants since an incident in the 1970s where he spent “a couple of weeks” in hospital very depressed.

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/courts-law/greg-lynn-trial-jury-told-russell-hills-wife-and-daughter-to-give-evidence/news-story/e69cfd53c351b9dbf870f3e4a3c35c2b#:~:text=She%20confirmed%20a%20relative%20of,weeks%E2%80%9D%20in%20hospital%20very%20depressed.

 

[Skyboy90]

Dann asked about the canopy of the ute, which GL claims was open when CC was accidentally shot. Tanner said he did not see any blood stains or human tissue in that area.

I don’t know how in depth the area was forensically tested but surely they would have found something. Even the smallest speck. But they found nothing. I really do struggle to believe the whole accidentally CC shooting. We will likely never know the truth in how they died.

I guess if he killed RH, then had thoughts in regards to CC witnessing it, he knows he is toast if it gets out, job/career over, so he takes her out also.

 

[Kemug]

Of course, if Russell had taken his wife camping, she would also be dead.

 

[JBowie]

Of course, if Russell had taken his wife camping, she would also be dead.

I don't think it likely that he'd ever take her camping:

Hill was described in court variously as a “working-class man”, kind-natured, who liked being in the outdoors rather than home where he was “nagged” by his wife

Greg Lynn trial: does the evidence point to murder or a ‘tragic accident’?

There is little dispute a fragment fired from Lynn’s shotgun contains Carol Clay’s DNA. What is in question is the story it tells

www.theguardian.com

 

[stacey_victoria]

So Russell Hill claimed for decades that Carol Clay was his 'first cousin'. What a convenient little story. Until your wife finds out it's not true, of course.

Not that it matters now as it has nothing to do with their murder really and everyone is so focused on judging them that they are forgetting to have any sympathy for them... Many of the comments online are shocking honestly.

 

[Cedars]

Not that it matters now as it has nothing to do with their murder really and everyone is so focused on judging them that they are forgetting to have any sympathy for them... Many of the comments online are shocking honestly.

IMO, many (not all) true crime followers enjoy how it exposes people's private lives, and allows them to gossip and share judgements in a rigid black/white, all good/all evil fantasy world. Of, course, they do it real life, too, when they get a chance, but beyond high school, fewer people are willing to share their private lives or engage in that kind of negativity.

JMO
.

 

[SouthAussie]

Not that it matters now as it has nothing to do with their murder really and everyone is so focused on judging them that they are forgetting to have any sympathy for them... Many of the comments online are shocking honestly.

It is just a little blip. Gives the gossip mongers something to gossip about. I am sure that Greg Lynn didn't care about the background of Carol and Russell's relationship when he allegedly murdered them.

imo

 

[SouthAussie]

I don’t know how in depth the area was forensically tested but surely they would have found something. Even the smallest speck. But they found nothing.

They didn't find nothing. The initial police didn't see the trace evidence, but the later investigators found Carol's blood, fatty tissue, piece of her skull, metal fragment. (links posted further back)

 

[JBowie]

I am sure that Greg Lynn didn't care about the background of Carol and Russell's relationship when he allegedly murdered them.

True, but whatever is presented in court as evidence is grist to the mill for discussion.

Slain Victorian camper Russell Hill lied about being Carol Clay's cousin to hide affair, court hears​

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-21/victorian-camper-russell-hill-carol-clay-greg-lynn-murder-trial/103874578.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

There is a lot of disgusting salivating going on in various media outlets right now.

 

[SouthAussie]

So far, evidence given today by .....

Carol's close friend - her police statement was read into evidence
A CWA member - her police statement was read into evidence
Senior Constable Amy Frost - she led the investigation before Missing Persons squad took over on 10th April 2020
Former Hotham Alpine Resort IT specialist - he confirmed photos from their cameras

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/courts-law/greg-lynn-trial-slain-camper-russell-hills-relative-was-killed-in-hunting-accident-court-told/news-story/486d14d2d5fec1c73844fe924fb8034d