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Police plan to renew looking Victoria’s excessive nation the place lacking campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay disappeared, as a former Jetstar pilot is dedicated to face trial charged with their murders.
On Wednesday, Lacking Individuals’ Squad Detective Performing-Sergeant Brett Florence instructed the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court docket investigators plan to proceed looking the distant space.
“We have to go back to Mount Hotham to do a search,” he stated.
“It hasn’t been completed due to the weather situation over the last six to eight months.
“That’s the only investigation aspect that I know that needs completing.”
The revelation got here as accused killer Gregory Lynn was dedicated to face trial within the Supreme Court docket over the alleged homicide of Mr Hill, 74, and Ms Clay, 73.
He has denied murdering the lacking campers, and his lawyer Dermot Dann KC has instructed the courtroom the allegations can be “strongly” disputed.
Performing-Sergeant Florence didn’t inform the courtroom what police can be searching for within the Alpine Nationwide Park.
The 56-year-old former Jetstar pilot has confronted the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court docket this month for a committal listening to the place the case in opposition to him was specified by public for the primary time.
All through the listening to, Mr Lynn has appeared attentive and may very well be seen constantly taking notes on paper stored in a yellow manilla folder.
Members of the family, together with his spouse Melanie and eldest son Geordie, who stay supportive of Mr Lynn, have appeared in courtroom remotely by way of video feed.
Over the previous two weeks, the courtroom has heard testimony from 11 witnesses referred to as to provide proof in regards to the case.
Police allege Mr Hill and Ms Clay, childhood sweethearts who had rekindled a relationship within the mid-2000s, travelled to the distant Wonnangatta campground for a week-long journey.
Deer hunter Goran Milikovic instructed the courtroom he was tenting with a buddy close by when he noticed the pair arrive within the afternoon of March 19, 2020.
He instructed the courtroom he thought it was “strange” they parked so shut to 2 different campers already on the website when there was “plenty of other space” obtainable.
The courtroom heard the final contact made with the couple was about 6pm on March 20, when Mr Hill spoke over high-frequency radio with an novice radio group within the East Gippsland area.
Police allege Mr Lynn was solo tenting on the identical campground and killed the pair after an altercation – presumably irritated by Mr Hill’s drone – later the identical night time.
In a abstract of the allegations offered to the courtroom, police say Mr Lynn loaded the our bodies into his trailer and set hearth to their tent in an effort to “contaminate the crime scene and conceal the offences”.
It’s alleged he dumped Mr Hill and Ms Clay’s our bodies on the Union Spur Monitor close to the historic township of Grant earlier than returning to his Caroline Springs dwelling.
The case in opposition to Mr Lynn additional alleges he returned to the Alpine Nationwide Park in Could and November 2020, the place, on one or each events, he tried to “destroy” the {couples}’ stays.
Giving proof earlier than the courtroom, police investigators say bone fragments, jewelry and different objects forensically linked to Mr Hill and Ms Clay had been found buried on the base of a fallen tree in November 2021 – greater than 20 months after the pair vanished.
Lacking individuals squad Detective Senior Constable Abbey Justin stated Mr Lynn was recognized as a “person-of-interest” after his Nissan Patrol was captured by computerized quantity plate recognition cameras.
He allegedly handed the cameras throughout the identical 10 second timeframe as Mr Hill’s cellphone on March 21.
By December 2020, Mr Lynn’s dwelling, automotive and cell phone had been allegedly beneath covert surveillance, with police making greater than 8000 recordings over the next yr.
It’s alleged he repainted his car and bought his trailer in an effort to keep away from being related to the lacking individuals case.
He was arrested over the alleged murders whereas tenting close to Arbuckle Junction in November 2021.
In a press release equipped to the courtroom, Lacking Individual Squad’s Detective Main Senior Constable Daniel Passingham stated he was listening to Mr Lynn as he drove to the Paradise Valley campground and was involved he may commit suicide.
“Lynn made comments of his time coming to an end, that Melanie (his wife) had three boys to look after her, a good rum, whiskey or cocktail would be good,” he stated.
“Having listened to over 3000 recordings to this date, the way Lynn was talking I had a feeling he was going to commit suicide.”
He was taken into custody and questioned over a four-day interval earlier than he was charged with two counts of homicide.
Mr Lynn has not made an utility for bail and has been held on remand since November 2021.
He’ll subsequent seem within the Supreme Court docket in February.
Initially printed as Russell Hill and Carol Clay: Police plan to continue search where missing campers allegedly murdered
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