Former Jetstar pilot Greg Lynn gave police a detailed description of his attempts to “disappear from the scene” of the deaths of two retirees he was later accused of murdering, a court has heard.
Warning: This story contains details that may distress some readers.
In an extensive police interview, recorded in November 2021 and played to jurors in his murder trial on Tuesday, Mr Lynn told investigators that covering up the deaths of Carol Clay and Russell Hill was “one option that might actually offer a glimmer of hope for a normal life”.
The 57-year-old described moving the pair’s bodies into his trailer and considering whether he had erased any trace of his presence at the Wonnangatta Valley campsite on the 20th of March 2020.
“I had a list of tasks to do and I set myself about doing it,” he told police.
But the former pilot said his plan “very quickly unravelled” after he came across a road closure and was later captured on roadside cameras.
Mr Lynn has pleaded not guilty to murdering the retirees, arguing the deaths were tragic accidents involving a knife and a gun that the 57-year-old decided to cover up afterwards.
The section of the hours-long interview played in the Supreme Court of Victoria on Tuesday zeroed in on Mr Lynn’s account of how he came to that decision.
“None of my decisions — whichever pathway I took — was going to make any difference to those two,” he told police.
“So, yep, I tried to save myself.”
Lynn tried to cover up deaths, court hears
Mr Lynn told police he loaded the pair’s bodies into his trailer and drove through the alpine region before coming to a remote site that “looked like it hadn’t been used in years”.
Their bodies, he said, were left at the site covered with branches and sticks.
“The object wasn’t to make them as such disappear, but for me to disappear,” he explained.
But by Mr Lynn’s own account, “I did not disappear”.
The 57-year-old described becoming nervous that his plan was coming unstuck after “odd questions started to be asked” and he was visited by police.
“I had to make any remaining evidence disappear,” he said in the interview.
“The only remaining evidence was those two bodies.”
Both prosecution and defence teams agree Mr Lynn returned to the remote area between coronavirus lockdowns to set fire to the remains.
The interview captures Mr Lynn describing the process in gruesome detail, explaining he became sick several times as he carried out the task through the night.
“There was nothing at the end,” he said.
“Nothing bigger than 20 millimetres long”.
Lynn told police he made ‘poor decisions’
Sergeant Brett Florence, the lead investigator on the case, also explained to the court how Mr Lynn later assisted police in their search for the remains.
A team of three police set out early the morning after Mr Lynn began this interview, the sergeant said.
But when they arrived in the forested area, they were met with a thick blanket of fog.
“It was difficult to find because it was extremely foggy,” the police officer told the court.
“I texted the video back to a police member who was able to show the accused the video, and he gave some directions of where to stand or where to look.”
The rest of the interview was played to the court, with Mr Lynn asked if he ever considered going to police about the matter.
Mr Lynn: “I had considered that. It just brings you back to…
Police: “The scenario you outlined…”
Mr Lynn: “Life ends.”
The interview concluded with the former pilot being informed he would be charged with two counts of murder.
“Do you wish to say anything in answer to the charges?” police asked.
“I’m innocent of murder,” Mr Lynn replied.
“I haven’t behaved well. I’ve made some poor decisions. But murder, as I understand it, I’m innocent of.”
The trial continues.
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