Shattered family slam killer former Jetstar pilot who murdered elderly camper: He is wicked and evil - she was irreplaceable
The family of murdered camper Carol Clay have described her killers attempts to cover up the death and go on with his life as wicked, evil and unconscionable.
The family of murdered camper Carol Clay have described her killers attempts to cover up the death and go on with his life as wicked, evil and unconscionable.
On Thursday, former Jetstar pilot Greg Lynn, 57, returned before the Victorian Supreme Court for a presentence hearing after being found guilty of murdering the 73-year-old community stalwart.
The 57-year-old was acquitted on a separate allegation he murdered Ms Clays boyfriend Russell Hill, 74.
Lynn continues to maintain his innocence and has flagged he intends to appeal the verdict.
Greg Lynn maintains the pair died accidental deaths
Prosecution calls for life sentence
Prosecutor Daniel Porceddu called on Justice Michael Croucher to impose a life sentence for the cold-blooded and callous murder.
He told the court it was the prosecutions case that Ms Clay was violently shot in the head on the evening of March 20, 2020 to cover up what happened to Mr Hill.
He said it was consistent with the jurys verdict that there was an interaction of some description between Lynn and Mr Hill, leading to his death.
He was motivated by a desire to eliminate her as a witness, Mr Porceddu said.
The offender went to extraordinary lengths to cover up the murder of Carol Clay ... this is an instance of an offence that is so grave it warrants the maximum penalty.
The damaged campsite was found days after the pair vanished
What happened to missing couple
Mr Hill and Ms Clay, teenage sweethearts who had rekindled their relationship later in life, disappeared a day after arriving at Bucks Camp in the Wonnangatta Valley.
It took police 20 months to locate more than 2100 bone fragments linked to the pair under a fallen tree of the Union Spur track.
At trial, prosecutors alleged both were murdered by Lynn, who then took steps to hide his involvement, including burning their campsite and hiding their bodies.
They were unable to outline the specific circumstances of the deaths, other than that Ms Clay was shot in the head, but argued it was likely after a dispute between Lynn and Mr Hill.
Lynn was acquitted of murdering Russell Hill
The jury was told skull fragments belonging to Carol Clay were discovered at the camp
Taking the stand, Lynn put forward a version of events in which he was innocent of murder but said he deserved to be punished for the efforts he took to disappear.
After his arrest, Lynn told police that Ms Clay was accidentally killed when his shotgun discharged as he and Mr Hill struggled for control.
Mr Hill then fell on his own knife while attacking Lynn in a rage, Lynn said.
Lynn said he panicked and sought to hide his involvement, returning to where hed dumped their remains to incinerate them months later.
My plan was to disappear and for a long time I thought I had, he said.
A hand-drawn map by Lynn detailing where he burned the remains of Mr Hill and Ms Clay
But police first identified Lynn as a person of interest three months after the couple vanished when his car was snapped on an automatic number plate recognition camera near where Mr Hills phone last pinged a tower.
Mr Porceddu argued Lynns account was complete fiction and he had destroyed evidence he knew could disprove his account.
His barrister, Dermot Dann KC, said Lynn feared he would be wrongly blamed for the deaths and was 100 per cent correct.
Defence say verdict will be appealed
Rising to his feet on Thursday afternoon, Mr Dann told the court that his client recognised that Ms Clays death had a devastating impact.
He said Lynn accepted that he acted despicably with his treatment of their bodies but maintained he was innocent of murder.
Mr Dann told the court that he had concerns the jury had gone down an improper pathway in reaching the verdict and would take it to the Court of Appeal.
The motive to eliminate her as a witness has to be rejected out of hand as it goes against the direction to the jury, he argued.
Lynns Nissan Patrol and trailer were captured by an automatic number plate recognition camera travelling along the Great Alpine Rd at 9.48am on March 21, 2020
Mr Dann told the court Lynn accepts he had acted despicably by hiding and burning their remains, but maintains his innocence of murder.
He again recognises his conduct in the treatment of bodies was selfish and callous in the extreme, he said.
At trial, Lynn put forward a version of events where both died tragic accidental deaths set in motion after Mr Hill swiped his shotgun.
Mr Dann said there was a very limited factual basis for Justice Croucher to sentence on, acknowledging the sentencing exercise will be difficult.
He told the court his client had lived a prosocial life before the fateful camping trip, regularly contributing to charity and achieving success in his pilot career.
Family detail impact of Ms Clays murder
In an emotional statement, Ms Clays sister Jillian Waker said her elder sister had dedicated her life to family and community service.
I am extremely affected by his actions, she said.
Carol lived a big life, and as a life force she is irreplaceable.
Ms Walker said Ms Clays murder was horrific but Lynns treatment of her body shocked her to her core, describing it as wicked, evil and unconscionable.
A normal person does not do this, she said through tears.
Carol lived a big life, and as a life force she is irreplaceable.
Lynn’s son Geordie and wife Melani sat through the trial
Ms Clays daughter Emma Davies detailed her mums achievements in community organising and volunteer work, saying she refused to have her legacy be that of a murder victim.
Her life had been devoted to others, she said.
He took her life, her dignity and her privacy.
Ms Davies told the court that her family had suffered immensely over the past four years, describing how she would receive messages on social media of people pretending to be her mum.
Ms Davies described what happened to her mother as a horror movie, saying Lynn had destroyed her remains in an effort to simply continue on with his life.
For 20 months she was missing; but she wasnt, was she? One person knew exactly where she was and what happened, she said.
Emma Davies described her mothers death as a horror movie
Allison Abbott, a lifelong friend of Ms Clay, told the court that she was a beautiful, vibrant and funny woman with a wicked sense of humour.
She was a wonderful woman who contributed to the happiness of many, she said.
No one deserves to die the way Carol did.
Lynn will return to court on October 18 for sentence.
