By Tara Cosoleto, Aap
Accused murderer Greg Lynn told police he wanted to make the deaths of missing campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay “just go away” so he could get on with his life.
The Caroline Springs airline pilot’s interview with police was shown to a Supreme Court jury on Monday 3 June, as he stands trial accused of murdering the couple in March 2020.
It’s alleged Lynn killed Mr Hill and Mrs Clay at Victoria’s Wonnangatta Valley and then disposed their bodies in bushland before burning the remains months later.
Lynn has pleaded not guilty to both counts of murder.
In his November 2021 record of interview, Lynn outlined to police the week he spent camping and hunting deer in the High Country.
He first encountered Mr Hill and Mrs Clay on 19 March when the couple arrived at his campsite, noting they had been very cordial and pleasant.
Lynn told police Mr Hill acted less friendly the next morning as he prepared to go hunting, noting the older man pointedly mentioned a friend had been killed in a hunting accident.
Lynn said as he returned to the campsite hours later, he saw a drone hovering overhead and later realised it belonged to Mr Hill.
When he confronted Mr Hill about the drone, Lynn said Mr Hill threatened to send police the footage of him hunting close to the campsite.
Lynn told officers he removed himself from the conversation but decided to blast music from his car stereo in what was a “childish thing” to do.
Later that evening, Lynn said Mr Hill approached his car and took his shotgun and ammunition from inside the vehicle.
Lynn told police he confronted Mr Hill and the older man shot a couple of rounds into the air.
A struggled then ensued over the gun, Lynn said, with another shot being discharged and striking Mrs Clay in the head.
Lynn maintained he did not have a hand on the trigger at any point and Mr Hill dropped the gun after Mrs Clay had been hit.
Lynn told police he returned the gun and ammunition back to his car and turned off the radio when Mr Hill came at him with a knife.
The airline pilot said he was defending himself in the struggle when the knife went into Mr Hill’s chest.
Lynn told police he then panicked and believed he was going to be blamed for the couple’s deaths, so he placed their bodies into his car and burnt their campsite.
He then drove the bodies to the Union Spur track and left them there.
Lynn told police he went back to the track in June 2020 once the Covid-19 lockdown lifted to check on the bodies.
He returned in November of that year to burn the remains.
“There’s not going to be much left for the families … there’s not much to see,” Lynn told police in his interview.
Lynn said he had wanted the couple’s deaths to “just go away” and he tried to “keep his head down” but he knew he was on a police watchlist.
He told officers he knew their evidence was compelling but that it would align with the story he had told them.
“I made a poor choice … I just wanted it to go away,” Lynn told police.
The trial continues.
