The grieving widow of murdered camper Russell Hill has broken her silence after Greg Lynn was convicted of murdering her husband’s secret lover.
Robyn Hill, who assisted Hill, 74, for 50 years, watched the High Court verdict via audiovisual link on Tuesday, initially fearing that Greg Lynn, 57, would walk free after the jury found him not guilty of her murder man.
However, she breathed a sigh of relief after Lynn was found guilty of the murder of Mr Hill’s secret lover, Carol Clay, 73.
“An innocent person doesn’t dispose of bodies… that’s how I looked at it,” an emotional Ms Hill told the Herald Sun.
The widow admitted the decision “could have been a better verdict,” but she was “glad it’s over.”
“It’s been a very long process and I was very concerned about what the verdict would be,” Ms. Hill told the publication.
“When I first heard Russell’s (ruling), I was really worried that Carol wouldn’t be guilty either.”
Widow Robyn Hill (pictured at the trial last month) initially feared Greg Lynn would walk free after the jury found him not guilty of murdering her husband Russell
However, she breathed a sigh of relief after Lynn was found guilty of murdering Mr Hill’s secret lover, Carol Clay, 73 (pictured, left)
Ms Hill also paid tribute to the tireless efforts of Detective Sergeant Brett Florence, who was the lead detective on the case.
She now eagerly awaits Lynn’s sentence, which will be handed down on July 19.
Lynn faces life behind bars for Mrs. Clay’s murder.
Mr Hill and Ms Clay – childhood sweethearts who rekindled their relationship later in life – disappeared after camping in the Wonnangatta Valley, in Victoria’s Alpine region, in March 2020.
Lynn had pleaded not guilty to the murders, but after seven days of deliberation the twelve-member jury found him guilty of the murder of Mrs Clay, but not guilty of the murder of Mr Hill.
Mrs. Hill said she had no hard feelings toward Mrs. Clay, her husband’s lover, but instead described her as an “intelligent woman.”
Her comments came after the Hill and Clay families released a joint statement on the divided verdict.
“The verdict of not guilty in relation to the murder of Russell Hill is devastating. “There was not enough evidence to be sure how he died,” the statement said.
“Our families were always aware that the prosecution had a huge burden of proof because there were no eyewitnesses. The suspect was the only one who saw and experienced what happened. He was also the only person to make it out alive.
“We are heartbroken by the loss of our loved ones. It will take time to absorb the statements, put this behind us and get to work on healing and moving on with our lives.”
Robyn Hill held no grudge against her husband’s secret lover Carol Clay (pictured)
Lynn (pictured) had pleaded not guilty to the murders, but after seven days of deliberation the jury found him guilty of the murder of Mrs Clay, but not guilty of the murder of Mr Hill.
The jury heard that Mr Hill was Ms Clay’s first boyfriend, but he started dating again in 2006 while they were both married to other people.
During the mammoth trial, Ms Hill was questioned about her long-term relationship with her husband whom she married in 1969.
Mrs Hill told the court she and her husband would go on holiday to Phillip Island with Mrs Clay and her then husband, unaware of their secret relationship.
She told the court that she had known Mrs. Clay as long as her husband, who had told her that Mrs. Clay was her cousin.
It was a lie that Mrs. Hill only learned after watching her husband and Mrs. Clay behave “strangely,” such as going for walks together on outings.
The secret relationship eventually came to a head when a neighbor threatened to reveal Mr. Hill’s behavior to his wife.
The court heard that Mr Hill confessed to the relationship but assured his wife he would end the affair immediately – a lie he maintained until his alleged murder.
Widow Robyn Hill (left) and her daughter Debbie (right) both gave evidence at the trial
The burned remains of Russell Hill and Carol Clay’s campsite
Ms Hill earlier broke down in tears as Lynn’s lawyer Dermot Dann KC explained how Mr Hill continued to lie about his secret camping trips with Ms Clay.
The widow said she thought her husband was alone when he left for his last camping trip in the bush.
The court heard Mrs Hill had bought her husband a new box of antidepressants, along with cans of bourbon and coke and a bottle of Bundaberg rum for the trip.
A bottle of wine was later also found at the burned campsite.
Lynn, dressed in a suit and blue sweater, remained silent as the two verdicts were read out, raising his eyebrows after learning his fate.
He waved to his son Geordie, who sat in front of him in the courtroom, after the jury left the court.
He spoke to his lawyers before being escorted from court, flanked by custody officials, and will be sentenced at a later date.
The maximum penalty for murder is life in prison.
Lynn will return to court for a citation on July 19, when dates will be set.