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 describes her killer’s attempts to cover up her husband’s death and continue his life as “evil, malicious and unconscionable.”

Former Jetstar pilot Greg Lynn, 57, appeared in the Supreme Court of Victoria again on Thursday for a preliminary hearing after being found guilty of murdering the 73-year-old community leader.

The 57-year-old was acquitted of another charge, the murder of Clay’s friend, Russell Hill, 74.

Lynn continues to maintain his innocence and has indicated that he will appeal the verdict.

Public Prosecution Service demands life sentence

Prosecutor Daniel Porceddu called on Judge Michael Croucher to impose a life sentence for the “cold-blooded and heartless” murder.

He told the court that the prosecution alleges that Ms Clay was shot “violently” 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 jury’s finding that there had been “some interaction of some kind” between Lynn and Mr Hill which had led to his death.

“He wanted to eliminate her as a witness,” Porceddu said.

“The perpetrator went to extraordinary lengths to cover up the murder of Carol Clay. This is an example of an offense so serious that the highest penalty is justified.”

What happened to the missing couple?

Mr Hill and Mrs Clay, teenage lovers who had reunited later in life, disappeared the day after arriving at Bucks Camp in the Wonnangatta Valley.

It took 20 months for police to find more than 2,100 bone fragments from the pair under a fallen tree on the Union Spur course.

During the trial, prosecutors alleged that Lynn murdered both of them. Lynn then took steps to conceal his involvement, including setting fire to their campsite and hiding their bodies.

They could not outline the specific circumstances of the deaths, other than that Mrs Clay was shot in the head. They argued that it was likely after a disagreement between Lynn and Mr Hill.

Lynn testified and gave a version of events in which he was innocent of murder, but said he should be punished for the attempts he had made to “disappear.”

After his arrest, Lynn told police that Clay was accidentally killed when his shotgun discharged while he and Mr. Hill were struggling to gain control of the gun.

Mr Hill then fell on his own knife as he attacked Lynn in a rage, Lynn said.

Lynn said he panicked and tried to hide his involvement, returning to the site where he had dumped their remains to burn them months later.

“It was my plan to disappear, and for a long time I thought that was what happened,” he said.

But police first identified Lynn as a suspect three months after the couple disappeared, when his car was captured by an automatic license plate recognition camera near the spot where Hill’s phone last pinged a cell tower.

Mr Porceddu argued that Lynn’s story was “complete fiction” and that he had destroyed evidence that he knew could disprove his story.

According to his lawyer, Dermot Dann KC, Lynn feared he would be unfairly blamed for the deaths and he was ‘100 percent right’.

Defense says verdict will be appealed

When Mr Dann rose on Thursday afternoon, he told the court his client accepted Ms Clay’s death had had a “devastating impact”.

He said Lynn acknowledged treating their bodies in a despicable manner, but he continued to maintain he was innocent of murder.

Mr Dann told the court he was concerned the jury had taken an “incorrect path” in reaching its verdict and that he would refer the matter to the Court of Appeal.

“The motive for excluding her as a witness must be rejected without further ado because it is contrary to the instructions to the jury,” he argued.

Mr Dann told the court that Lynn accepts he acted “despicably” by hiding and burning the remains, but he maintains he is innocent of murder.

“He again acknowledges that his behavior in handling corpses was extremely selfish and insensitive,” he said.

During the trial, Lynn gave a version of events in which both men died in a tragic accident, set in motion after Mr. Hill stole his hunting rifle.

Mr Dann said there was only a very limited factual basis for Judge Croucher to impose a sentence. He acknowledged that imposing a sentence would be difficult.

He told the court that before the fateful camping trip his client had led a prosocial life, regularly donated money to charity and had been successful in his piloting career.

Family detail impact of Mrs. Clay’s murder

In an emotional statement, Clay’s sister Jillian Waker said her older sister had dedicated her life to her family and community.

“His actions affected me deeply,” she said.

‘Carol lived an amazing life and as a life force she is irreplaceable.’

Mrs Walker called Clay’s murder “horrible” but Lynn’s treatment of her body shocked her to the core. She described it as “evil, evil and unconscionable”.

“A normal person wouldn’t do this,” she said with tears in her eyes.

‘Carol lived an amazing life and as a life force she is irreplaceable.’

Emma Davies, Clay’s daughter, described her mother’s achievements in community organizing and volunteering and said she “refused to have her legacy be that of a murder victim.”

“Her life was dedicated to others,” she said.

“He took her life, her dignity and her privacy.”

Ms Davies told the court her family had suffered immensely over the past four years. She described receiving messages on social media from people pretending to be her mother.

Mrs Davies described what happened to her mother as a “horror movie”, saying Lynn had destroyed her remains in an attempt to move on with his life.

“She was missing for 20 months, but she wasn’t, right? One person knew exactly where she was and what had happened,” she said.

Allison Abbott, a lifelong friend of Ms Clay, told the court she was a beautiful, vivacious 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 like Carol.”

Lynn will appear in court again on October 18 to hear the verdict.