Jetstar pilot Greg Lynn, 55, has been charged with two counts of murder, after police arrested him on Monday and spent several days questioning him over the disappearance of campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay, who vanished from their campsite in March 2020.
The dramatic development was reported yesterday evening.
Earlier yesterday police said they had identified a crime scene in Victoria’s Great Alpine area and forensic specialists would be searching that area over coming days.
Investigators are keen to speak to anyone who may have purchased a rusty silver/blue 7×5 trailer with off-road wheels between March and July 2020.
The trailer is believed to have been sold on the online trading site Gumtree.
Police have also appealed for anyone who was in the Wonnangatta area in the Victorian high country around that time – including campers, 4×4 day trippers, hunters, fishermen or trail bike riders – to come forward, regardless of whether they saw or heard anything.
Anyone with any other information regarding the disappearance of Hill, 74, and Clay, 73, is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or log onto
Victoria Police Crime Command Assistant Commissioner Bob Hill said Lynn would appear in the Sale Magistrates’ Court, in Victoria’s Gippsland region, this morning.
“We are hoping this arrest brings us a step closer to providing the answers the families have been desperately seeking and richly deserve,” he said.
“Our heartfelt thoughts are with both the Hill and Clay families. The past 20 months have been an incredibly difficult time for them and their grief remains as raw as ever.
“This has been an exhaustive and complex criminal investigation which has attracted significant community interest.
“While we now have the opportunity to put this matter before the criminal courts, our efforts to locate the remains of Russell and Carol will continue.
“The investigative efforts relating to this matter, particularly by the Missing Persons Squad, have been extraordinary.
“The investigation has also been supported by a range of specialist units and local police, as well as several external agencies.
“Finally, we would also like to thank the media and members of the public who have provided assistance during the course of this investigation.”
Hill and Clay were last heard from on 20 March 2020, before vanishing mysteriously from their remote Wonnangatta Valley campsite. Their campsite was found burned out, with evidence of an intense fire and Hill’s vehicle still parked alongside the charred remains of their camping equipment, but no trace of the pair.
The abrupt and ominous disappearance of the two campers has been widely reported over ensuing months, throughout Australia and beyond. Police have made repeated pleas for information about cars seen in the area.
Assistant Commissioner Hill said last night that police were “indebted” to the media and the community for their support, which had played a part in the investigations.
Qantas subsidiary Jetstar Airways issued the following statement after the arrest of one of its captains:
“Jetstar has been advised by Victoria Police that one of its employees is under investigation for a serious crime and will work to assist in this due process any way we can. As a matter of course, the employee has been removed from duty as a result of their arrest.”
Written by Peter Needham
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