Civil engineer Andrew James Marquardt testified in court about coming across a burnt campsite in the Wonnangatta Valley on March 21, 2020, the day after pilot Gregory Lynn is accused of killing Russell Hill and Carol Clay. Marquardt saw burnt tent poles, camping material, a white Toyota LandCruiser ute, a small yellow Esky, and undamaged shower and toilet tents. Lynn’s vehicle and trailer were captured on a roadside camera, with the battery next to the vehicle also burnt. Lynn has pleaded not guilty to murdering Hill and Clay, with his legal team claiming their deaths were accidental while the prosecution alleges he killed them with intent.
Another witness, camper Tom Matthews, reported hearing a 4WD towing a trailer driving past his tent near the river crossing on the Wonnangatta Track around midnight on March 20, 2020. The vehicle appeared to be struggling to turn around as it reversed and hit potholes on the rough track. Leading Senior Constable Christopher Skiba, the first officer to respond to the missing persons report for Hill and Clay, testified about entering the valley on March 27, 2020, and observing the burnt campsite. He noted the presence of a wallet, cards, and a female’s handbag inside the vehicle.
Marquardt and Matthews contacted police with their observations of the scene, leading to the discovery of Hill and Clay’s burnt remains at a second site off the Union Spur Track near Dargo. Lynn is accused of torching their campsite, bundling their bodies into his trailer, and driving them out of the valley. The jury heard about the unusual circumstances surrounding the disappearance and deaths of Hill and Clay, and the ongoing trial is seeking to determine Lynn’s involvement in the alleged murders. The podcast “The Missing Campers Trial,” presented by Nine reporter Penelope Liersch and Age reporter Erin Pearson, aims to follow the court case in real-time as it unfolds.
The trial involves conflicting narratives about the events leading up to Hill and Clay’s deaths, with Lynn’s legal team claiming they died accidentally while the prosecution alleges he intentionally killed them. Witnesses like Marquardt and Matthews have provided key testimony about what they saw and heard in the Wonnangatta Valley around the time of the alleged murders. Marquardt described a burnt campsite with a white ute, a yellow Esky, and undamaged camping equipment, while Matthews heard a 4WD towing a trailer attempting to turn around on a rough track near his tent.
The court has also heard from police officers like Leading Senior Constable Christopher Skiba, who responded to the missing persons report and surveyed the burnt campsite. Skiba observed personal belongings inside the burnt vehicle, including a wallet, cards, and a handbag, indicating that Hill and Clay had been at the campsite before their disappearance. The ongoing trial aims to uncover the truth behind what happened to Hill and Clay, with Lynn facing charges of murdering the two campers in the remote Wonnangatta Valley. The podcast “The Missing Campers Trial” will provide updates and insights into the court case as it progresses.
