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Chronicle Wednesday 260624

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Wednesday, June 26, 2024

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Information Pages 11-15

END THE WAR A strong turnout of people calling for an end to the Palestine-Israeli conflict took place at a rally in Wangaratta on Sunday.

 Full story page 7.

SPLIT VERDICT GREG Lynn has been found guilty of murdering Wonnangatta Valley camper Carol Clay, but not guilty of murdering Russell Hill. The 12-person jury laid down their split verdict on Tuesday afternoon after a five-week trial and just over a week of deliberations. Mr Lynn (57) pleaded not guilty to two charges of murder, arguing the deaths of campers Russell Hill (74) and Carol Clay (73) at a Wonnangatta Valley campsite on March 20, 2020 were an accident. The former pilot, as the defence’s only witness, told

told the court her husband

told her he was Greg G g Ly Lynn found f d gguilty ilty off one W Wonnangatta g tt murder d r had camping alone when he left

the court during the trial that Ms Clay was shot in the head while he and Mr Hill struggled over control of Mr Lynn’s shotgun after a dispute, and Mr Hill died in a subsequent struggle, after a knife accidentally plunged into his chest. Mr Lynn’s lawyer, Dermot Dann KC, previously told the court his client had made a “series of terrible choices” to cover up the pair’s deaths, which included destroying evidence and burning the remains of Mr Hill and Ms Clay.

Mr Lynn told the jury his actions in destroying evidence at the campsite were a "panicked" response to the "horrendous" scene before him. "All I can say to the families is that I am very sorry for your suffering that I caused," he said. "I haven't behaved well, I've made some poor decisions, but murder, as I understand it, I'm innocent of." Prosecutors had described Mr Lynn’s series of events as a lie and argued

his actions to destroy evidence and cover up the deaths of the campers as ones made by a man who had committed murder. Crown prosecutor Daniel Porceddu alleged Mr Hill was killed first by unknown means, most likely over a dispute about Mr Hill’s drone, and Ms Clay was later shot in the head because she was a witness in the violent murder of Mr Hill. A total of 49 witnesses were called throughout

the trial including friends and family members of Ms Clay and Mr Hill, police detective, experts and park rangers and workers in the Wonnangatta Valley. The court heard through family members of Ms Clay, including her daughter Emma Davies, the pair had a “loving” and “caring” relationship, that had lasted more than a decade and had been concealed from Mr Hill's friends and wife. Wife of Mr Hill of more than 50 years, Robyn Hill,

their Drouin home for the Wonnangatta Valley. Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Martin O’Brien released a statement acknowledging the jury’s verdict, and thanked the work of its officers during the four-year long case. “Our thoughts are with the Hill and Clay families at this time and we acknowledge how difficult these past four years have been for them,” he said. ■ Continues page 2

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