THE long shadow of the Wonnangatta Valley murders reached its final moment in court last Friday.
Supreme Court Justice Michael Croucher delivered an emotional verdict in the 2020 murder of camper Carol Clay.
Former pilot Greg Lynn, found guilty of killing the 73-year-old, was sentenced to 32 years in prison.
As Justice Croucher addressed the families of Carol Clay and Russell Hill, he was visibly moved, his voice faltering as he acknowledged the suffering they had endured.
"To the families of both deceased, I’m terribly sorry for your loss," he said.
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"The sentence imposed is not a measure of Ms Clay’s life—it can’t be."
His words reflected the anguish of waiting 20 long months before the families learned what had happened to their loved ones, whose burnt-out campsite was the only trace left of them.
Greg Lynn was arrested in November 2021, after a traffic camera caught his vehicle and trailer leaving the valley the morning after the killings.
His trial, which spanned five weeks, centered on the deaths of Ms Clay and Mr Hill, whose bodies were found in remote bushland.
The jury acquitted Mr Lynn of murdering 74-year-old Russell Hill but convicted him of Ms Clay's murder, rejecting his plea of innocence.
During the trial, Mr Lynn maintained that Ms Clay’s death was accidental, the result of a struggle between himself and Mr Hill over a shotgun, likely sparked by a disagreement over Mr Hill’s drone.
He claimed that in the scuffle, Ms Clay was shot in the head and Mr Hill was fatally stabbed in the chest.
Justice Croucher, however, described the killing as "violent, brutal, and horrific," calling it "a very grave example of murder."
The judge made it clear that Mr Lynn had taken extensive measures to cover his tracks, including burning the bodies and evading detection for nearly two years.
He suggested that Mr Lynn’s actions were driven by the fear of losing his career as an airline captain and his interest in sporting shooting.
"Instead of alerting the authorities, he set about doing a number of things designed to cover up these events, and to conceal his involvement in them," the judge said.
Despite the conviction, many aspects of the case remain unclear.
Justice Croucher admitted there was uncertainty about the exact order of deaths and whether Ms Clay’s murder was premeditated.
He was, however, confident in the jury's conclusion that Mr Lynn intended to kill her.
Russell Hill’s family, despite being left in "excruciating" legal limbo after Mr Lynn's acquittal, gave evidence "with dignity," according to Justice Croucher.
Mr Lynn, now 58, has expressed disappointment with the jury’s decision and plans to appeal the verdict.
In a letter submitted to the court, he apologised for the pain and suffering caused to his family, the victims' families, and the emergency workers involved in the case.
"I don’t ask for forgiveness. I am simply sorry for what I have done," the letter read.
Mr Lynn will be eligible for parole after serving 24 years, meaning he could be released at age 79.
If he serves his full sentence, he will remain in prison until he is 87.
