Former Jetstar captain accused of killing campers Carol Clay and Russell Hill

There have been multiple twists and turns on the opening day of accused murderer Gregory Lynn’s trial, including allegations of a fight over a shotgun and an accidental stabbing.

Gregory Lynn faced the first day of his highly anticipated Supreme Court trial on Tuesday.

Accused High Country killer Gregory Lynn murdered campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay likely after a dispute about a drone, crown prosecutors have alleged.

But Mr Lynn claims the elderly couple were killed in a “tragic accident” before he made the “terrible” decision to destroy evidence, dispose of their bodies and burn their remains, his defence lawyer says.

The former Jetstar captain, 57, faced the first day of his highly anticipated Supreme Court trial on Tuesday, accused of murdering retirees Mr Hill, 74, and Mrs Clay, 73, who vanished during a camping trip to the Wonnangatta Valley in Victoria’s alpine region in March 2020.

The prosecution case:

In his opening address, Crown prosecutor Daniel Porceddu said Mr Lynn murdered Mr Hill and Mrs Clay but the “precise circumstances” of the killings – including a motivation – were unknown.

The court heard Mr Hill, 74, picked up his high school sweetheart Mrs Clay, 73, from her Pakenham home for a camping trip on March 19.

The pair had been secretly seeing each other since 2006.

Mr Hill had told his wife Robyn he was going to the Wonnangatta Valley and would be gone for a week.

Carol Clay and Russell Hill were allegedly murdered by Gregory Lynn.

Prosecutors allege the couple were murdered by Mr Lynn the following night and it likely followed a confrontation between Mr Lynn and Mr Hill over the elderly camper’s drone.

“The prosecution alleges Mr Hill was likely killed first because Mrs Clay was very unlikely to have provoked a violent confrontation involving a firearm,” Mr Porceddu said.

It was also unknown how Mr Hill was killed, but it is alleged Mrs Clay was shot in the head.

Mr Lynn then allegedly sought to cover the murders up by burning their camp, taking items including Mr Hill’s car key, his drone and the couple’s mobile phones and bank cards.

Mr Lynn allegedly burnt the campsite belonging to Russell Hill and Carol Clay. Picture: ABC

He then allegedly packed up his camp, bundled their bodies in his trailer and drove to Union Spur Track where he dumped them in bushland.

Mr Hill was reported missing by his wife on March 26, with a forensic examination later finding blood splatters on the canopy of his vehicle and skull and a bullet fragment at Bucks Camp.

Mr Porceddu said investigators would later uncover a ring belonging to Mrs Clay and more than 2100 individual bone fragments including toe and leg bones, much of which was in a hole next to a fallen tree.

After returning to Melbourne, prosecutors allege Mr Lynn advertised his trailer and other items on Gumtree and repainted his car from dark grey to beige.

At midnight on May 12 – when the first Covid-19 lockdown was lifted – Mr Lynn allegedly drove straight for the alpine region to ensure their remains had not been uncovered.

He also allegedly returned in November where he burnt what was left of their remains.

The prosecutor said Mr Hill’s phone reconnected to the network some time after 9.47am on March 21, 2020.

Mr Lynn’s vehicle was captured on traffic cameras near Mount Hotham at a similar time.

Police later placed listening devices in his home, and released an image of his vehicle going through the traffic cameras which was played on 60 Minutes.

The jury was told Mr Lynn was recorded speaking to his wife Melanie as they watched the program, telling her he was only in the area for four hours and “how it was not funny”.

He was then arrested at a campground in Arbuckle in November 2021.

Wearing a dark suit, Mr Lynn sat silently in the dock and took notes as the prosecutor delivered his openings.

The defence case:

In his opening address, barrister Dermot Dann KC said it was the defence case — which is disputed by the prosecution — that Mrs Clay was accidentally shot in the head as Mr Hill struggled with Mr Lynn over the latter’s shotgun.

Mr Lynn claims the deadly confrontation was sparked after Mr Hill took Mr Lynn’s firearm from his car and threatened to take it to police because he had filmed the ex-pilot on his drone hunting close to the campsite.

Enraged by Mrs Clay’s death, Mr Hill then allegedly came at Mr Lynn with a knife before the elderly camper was accidentally stabbed in the chest and died during a struggle.

While his client was innocent of murder or manslaughter, Mr Dann said he made a “terrible choice” to conceal evidence by burning their camp before placing their bodies in his trailer and dumping them in bushland near Union Spur Track.

“Did he act in a completely selfish … even callous way?” he said.

“Yes.”

Gregory Lynn’s wife Melanie Lynn leaves the Supreme Court on Tuesday. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

Mr Dann said Mr Lynn returned to that spot twice in 2020 – in May and November – where on the second occasion he burnt what was left of their remains.

“He describes burning those bodies being physically sick,” he said.

Mr Dann said his client set up at Bucks Camp on March 18, before the elderly campers arrived the next day.

On March 20 – the day of the alleged murders – Mr Lynn went hunting before he approached Mr Hill’s campsite around dinner time to discuss the use of his drone, Mr Dann said.

The defence lawyer said it was there that Mr Hill told Mr Lynn a person close to him had been killed in a deer hunting accident.

Mr Dann said Mr Hill would also later tell Mr Lynn he had filmed him on his drone hunting close to the campsite and would be taking the footage to police.

Mr Lynn claimed he returned to his car and turned up his stereo to annoy Mr Hill before sometime between 9 and 10pm, he saw Mr Hill walking away from his car carrying his shotgun and a magazine of ammunition.

Mr Dann said his client asked Mr Hill to give his gun back, but the older man told him to “f – k off” before firing it into the air, forcing him to take cover.

Mr Lynn then allegedly tried to wrest it back from Mr Hill, as Mrs Clay yelled out “Russell, stop it”.

According to Mr Lynn, Mr Hill’s finger was on the trigger when an accidental discharge of the gun occurred.

“That shot tragically struck Mrs Clay in the head,” Mr Dann said.

Mr Hill let go of the gun, he said, and went to Mrs Clay while Mr Lynn got the gun back and shot it into the air and to make “it safe” before returning it to his car.

He alleges Mr Hill then came at him with a knife yelling “she’s dead!”.

“Then a struggle occurred over the knife. The two men fall to the ground and the knife goes through the chest of Mr Hill,” Mr Dann said.

Fearing his life would be “screwed”, Mr Dann said Mr Lynn then took steps to destroy evidence and dispose of their bodies.

The trial continues.