WONNANGATTA Valley murderer Greg Lynn has been jailed for 32 years for the 2020 killing of camper Carol Clay.
Justice Michael Croucher laid down his findings at the Supreme Court of Victoria on Friday where he outlined the “grave example of murder”.
The 58-year-old former pilot was given a non-parole period of 24 years.
Lynn was found guilty of murdering Mrs Clay (73) but acquitted of murdering fellow camper and lover Russell Hill (74) by a 12-person jury panel on June 25 this year.
Lynn pleaded not guilty to both charges of murder, arguing their deaths at Bucks Camp campsite on March 20, 2020 were an accident.
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Justice Croucher said while he could not disclose the motive behind the murder of Mrs Clay due to the evidence given, he was satisfied she would have died a violent and brutal death and the killing was a "grave example of murder”.
In a letter submitted to the court Lynn said he was “disappointed and perplexed” by the jury’s verdict and would be appealing their finding.
During the five-week trial, the former pilot told the court that Ms Clay was shot in the head while he and Mr Hill struggled over control of Lynn’s shotgun after a dispute, and Mr Hill died in a subsequent struggle, after a knife accidentally plunged into his chest.
Lynn’s lawyer, Dermot Dann KC, 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 and scattering the remains of Mr Hill and Ms Clay.
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 submitted the “grave nature” of the murder warranted a life sentence behind bars.
Justice Croucher discussed the “complicated” sentencing task given the different verdicts in the trial relating to the deaths of Mrs Clay and Mr Hill.
He became emotional and teared up as he acknowledged the “plight, agony and suffering” Mr Hill's family had been through, “from one person to another”.
“To the families of both deceased, I’m terribly sorry for your loss,” he said.
More to come.
