Missing campers jury shown photos of bone fragments, teeth and parts of a watch

Grisly photos of bone fragments, teeth and parts of a wrist watch found during a search for the remains of Russel Hill and Carol Clay have been shown to the jury.

The jury were previously shown images of Mr Hill and Mrs Clay’s destroyed campsite Picture: Supplied

Photos of accused High Country killer Greg Lynn driving on the Great Alpine Road after he allegedly murdered missing campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay have been shown to a jury for the first time.

The former Jetstar captain, 57, is standing trial for the murders of Mr Hill, 74, and Mrs Clay, 73, who disappeared during a camping trip to the Wonnangatta Valley in Victoria’s alpine region.

The jury was on Wednesday shown four photographs of Mr Lynn’s then dark-coloured 1997 Nissan Patrol 4WD as it passed traffic cameras near Mount Hotham ski resort at 9.48am on March 21, 2020 — the morning after he allegedly murdered Mr Hill and Mrs Clay.

On Thursday, images of Mr Lynn’s vehicle after it was repainted beige were shown to the jury, as Forensic Officer Tanith Condon told the court she was tasked with examining the 4WD in December 2021.

“There were areas of kind of large brushstrokes that may suggest it may not have been done professionally,” she said.

Carol Clay and Russell Hill were killed during a camping trip to the Wonnangatta Valley.

Earlier on Thursday, the jury was shown photos of bone fragments and teeth found in remote bushland during a search for the remains of Mr Hill and Mrs Clay.

George Xydias, a forensic officer from the fire explosives unit of the Victoria Police Forensic Services Centre, on Thursday told the jury he was tasked with searching an area of bushland near Union Spur Track in Victoria’s High Country in 2021.

He said bone fragments, teeth and remnants of a wrist watch and clothing were recovered after a search of two areas — a small depression in a clearing just off the track and the base of a felled tree about 16 metres away.

The jury was shown photographs of the recovered material and Mr Xydias identified small charred bone fragments and several teeth in some of the images.

“There was no burnt matter below the upper surface of the area,” he said.

He said it appeared a fire had been lit in the clearing before the remnants were deposited in the base of the fallen tree.

Airline pilot Greg Lynn is accused of murdering Mr Hill and Mrs Clay.

Defence barrister Dermot Dann KC last week told the jury his client disposed of the missing campers’ bodies before he returned eight months later and burnt what was left of their remains.

During cross-examination, Mr Dann said Mr Lynn had told police he used a small amount of kerosene to burn their bodies, before he used a dustpan to move their remains to another spot.

Mr Xydias said the Union Spur Track search was conducted over three days in November and December 2021 and investigators initially worked on their “hands and knees” before heavier equipment was brought in.

Dadna Hartman, a molecular biologist at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, told the court her lab received multiple bone fragments from the Union Spur Track search for testing.

She said DNA analysis found one bone — the only that was suitable — was a likely match for Mr Hill, while a skull fragment recovered from Bucks Camp — where the alleged murders took place — was likely to belong to Mrs Clay.

Greg Lynn driving on the Great Alpine Road the morning after the alleged murders. Picture: Supplied.

Earlier on Thursday, footage filmed by Detective Senior Constable Greg Cogan of the pair’s destroyed campsite was played to the court.

Under cross-examination by Mr Dann, Constable Cogan said he did not see any blood or human tissue on the silver canopy of Mr Hill’s LandCruiser.

Mr Lynn claims Mrs Clay was accidentally shot in the head as the two men struggled over a shotgun.

He claimed Mr Hill was then accidentally stabbed in the chest after the elderly camper came at him with a knife.

The trial continues.