Tom HAYES
FORMER Jetstar pilot Gregory Lynn, dubbed as the high country killer, has been sentenced to 32 years behind bars for the murder of Carol Clay.
Lynn, 58, will serve a non-parole period of 24 years.
Having already served time in prison, Lynn will be 79-years-old when he is eligible for parole.
Lynn was accused of the murders of Ms Clay and Russell Hill; however the jury did not find Lynn guilty of the murder of Mr Hill.
Ms Clay and Mr Hill were killed at their campsite in the Wonnangatta Valley in March 2020. Lynn disposed of their bodies near Dargo.
Lynn left his home at midnight of May 12, 2020, to return to the remains to burn them. The following month, Lynn repainted his Nissan Patrol.
On November 25, 2021, police charged Lynn with the murders of Ms Clay and Mr Hill. Five days later, investigators found the human remains at Union Spur Track, near Dargo.
When handing down Lynn’s sentencing in Melbourne last month, Supreme Court judge Justice Michael Croucher described the killing of Ms Clay as “violent”, “brutal”, and “horrific”.
“This was just a terrible thing to do. Hence my conclusion that this is a very grave murder,” he said.
“The gravest parts of that conduct were the concealment of Mrs Clay’s body in a remote place and the later burning of her body to almost nothingness, just fragments.
“Mrs Clay, a woman of 73, was intentionally killed by a shotgun blast to the head. Thus, it was a violent, brutal, horrific death effected with a weapon designed to kill.
“There is no suggestion Mrs Clay posed any threat to Mr Lynn. As I have said, I am unable to find any mitigating feature of the circumstances of the offence.”
Lynn has showed his intention to appeal the verdict, before he was handed his 32-year sentence.
His appeal, which must be lodged before November 15, will not be heard until next year at least.
Though, his appeal will be heard before a full bench of Court of Appeal judges, who will supposedly make one of three decisions, according to the Herald Sun: dismiss the appeal (conviction stands), order a retrial, or set aside the conviction
(Lynn walks free).
Lynn’s letter to the court read: “I am disappointed and perplexed by the jury verdict, as I have not killed anyone and will be respectfully appealing their decision”.
“However, I accept my decision to flee the scene and attempt to disappear, and all of my actions to that effect, were selfish and callous in the extreme, causing family and friends of both Carol Clay and Russell Hill much grief and stress for 20 long months.
“For those actions, I am very sorry.
“At the time, I had reasons, but I understand they are no excuse and of no interest to those who suffered. And to detail any of that now would be insulting to the memory of Carol and Russell.”
His letter was followed by apologies to Victorian emergency services, his previous employer, previous sporting clubs, and his family.
The safety of Lynn in prison has been considered, after he was attacked with faeces and urine inside the Metropolitan Assessment Prison.
Prisons are reportedly dangerous for high-profile offences, such as Lynn’s, especially when without a criminal network to protect him.
Lynn will be sorted into a security of medium, high, or maximum, while the option to be separated from the mainstream continues to be questioned after he was attacked in June.
