When the parents of Greg Lynn’s estranged ex-wife heard she was dead, the mother immediately suspected it was his fault, court documents show.
Lisa Lynn was found dead in October 1999 after consuming a deadly cocktail of booze and sleeping tablets.
It was information not available to the Victoria Supreme Court jury that acquitted Lynn of Russell Hill’s murder on Tuesday but found him guilty of Carol Clay’s murder.
The two secret lovers were pitching a tent near Lynn when they died in the Wonnangatta Valley, in Victoria’s Alpine region, on March 20, 2020.
There is no indication that the explosive information about Lisa Lynn could have led to a guilty verdict in Hill’s case if admitted to the jury, or that Lynn was responsible for his ex-wife’s death.
Daily Mail Australia can now reveal shocking allegations made against Lynn by the parents of his first wife and mother of his two children while he lived in Mount Macedon, northwest of Melbourne.
It was information provided by the prosecution to Judge Michael Croucher after Lynn’s barrister suggested he would call witnesses to provide evidence in support of his client’s ‘good character’.
“Prior to their divorce, Lisa told me that Greg had made very serious death threats against her and that these continued until her death,” Lisa’s father told the coroner in a statement that was not included in the trial.
Lisa Lynn lived in fear of her ex-husband Greg Lynn and eventually took her own life, court documents show. The information was not before the Victoria Supreme Court jury
“Greg had verbally abused Lisa since the beginning of their marriage. Lisa kept a diary from the day Greg left their marriage. The diary details Greg’s abusive phone calls, death threats and verbal abuse of their children.
In a series of statements made to coroner Graeme Johnstone at the time, Lynn’s alleged torment of his ex-wife was revealed..
Lisa had had left no suicide note and had not indicated to anyone that she might be suicidal.
During a pre-trial hearing at the High Court, it was revealed that Lynn was found not responsible for his ex-wife’s death, with the coroner ruling it a suicide.
Greg Lynn was accused of murdering two elderly campers
The coroner heard that Greg Lynn admitted being violent towards his ex-wife Lisa Lynn
The Coroners Court heard that Lynn accepted through unsigned statements that he had been violent towards his ex-wife, including breaking into the family home, stealing keys and taking the car.
In court documents provided to the Coroner, Lisa’s father, who was not named in court, claimed he had become aware of Lynn’s verbal abuse of his daughter since the beginning of the marriage.
“I am also aware of the abuse and the fact that Greg broke into the house and took the car, leaving Lisa with two children and without any form of transport,” he told the coroner.
‘He refused to return the car and left her without money.’
Lisa’s father told the coroner that Lynn had bullied and intimidated her after the breakdown of their marriage.
‘I know from my conversation with Lisa that she was unwilling to press charges against Greg for fear of repercussions.
‘She took his threats very seriously. She was absolutely petrified and living in fear,” he claimed.
Lisa’s mother, who was due to travel from Tasmania to help her struggling daughter, painted an even more disturbing portrait of her former son-in-law as she gave evidence including allegations of animal cruelty, violence and ‘bizarre’ behaviour.
“In addition to not receiving any support from Greg, he would regularly subject her to physical and mental abuse,” she told the coroner.
“These events happened too often to remember, especially things like losing his temper for no reason and blaming Lisa for everything that went wrong.
“Then he would scream, throw things at her and push her around. I felt very uncomfortable when these events were happening because I was reluctant to intervene and Lisa begged me not to intervene.”
Greg Lynn was described by the Coroner as bizarre and alleged to have killed helpless animals
Carol Clay and Russell Hill died in the remote Victorian wilderness. Lynn was found guilty of Clay’s murder, but not Hill’s
Greg Lynn remarried Melanie Lynn, who assisted him during his trial in the Supreme Court of Victoria
Lisa’s mother told the coroner that her daughter told her that any interference from her at home would lead to further pain and misery.
“Greg’s behavior in general would be described as bizarre. I think he has a twisted mind,” she told the coroner.
‘He has done things in the past such as killing animals and the neighbour’s pet, refusing to feed the children when he was supposed to be looking after them, and on one occasion he exploded in a fit of uncontrollable rage when we were having dinner at the Macedon. Hotel.’
Lisa’s mother told the court that Lynn verbally assaulted a man in the bar after he made the mistake of talking to Lisa.
He then became “enraged” with his then wife after leaving the hotel, she told the coroner.
“The only thing I would like to add is that as far as I am concerned, Greg is responsible for the death of my daughter as a result of mental torture inflicted by him,” Lisa’s mother told the court.
“I know she lived in absolute fear of Greg. I accept from what (I have been told) regarding the circumstances in which she died that she was alone that night.
“Greg wasn’t there, but her actions were a culmination of the fear and terror she lived under.”
The court heard Lisa had kept a detailed diary of her broken relationship with Lynn.
Lynn’s defense opted not to present any evidence of “good character” to the jury.
Lynn will appear in court at a future date for a pre-sentencing hearing on Clay’s murder.