‘Blood stains’ found in camper’s truck: court

“Blood stains” recovered successful the canopy of Russell Hill’s car person been linked by DNA to Carol Clay, a assemblage has been told.

Forensic serviceman Mark Gellatly returned earlier Victoria’s Supreme Court connected Thursday to proceed giving grounds astatine the double-murder proceedings of Gregory Stuart Lynn.

Mr Lynn, 57, has pleaded not blameworthy to allegations helium murdered Mr Hill, 74, and Mrs Clay, 73, successful the evening of March 20, 2020.

The aged mates vanished portion connected a camping travel successful the distant Wonnangatta Valley, with their remains discovered much than 20 months aboriginal nether a felled histrion successful bushland, the assemblage was told.

Mr Gellatly told the assemblage helium was asked to analyse wrong the canopy of Mr Hill’s Toyota LandCruiser for the “possible beingness of blood” successful February 2022.

In a compartment connected the rider side, helium said helium located six tiny “apparent” humor stains and a “jelly-like” fatty deposit.

He told the assemblage investigating could not corroborate the stains were blood, but his decision was it “most likely” was blood, noting investigating tin instrumentality a mendacious antagonistic erstwhile heat-affected.

Testing of 1 stain and the fatty deposit but returned DNA samples with “extremely beardown support” for the proposition it originated from Mrs Clay.

Mr Gellatly said splatter investigation indicated “some benignant of forceful event” had occurred, but determination wasn’t capable accusation to marque a uncovering connected the mechanism.

“Excluding a freak gust of upwind … my champion imaginable conjecture is the lawsuit occurred guardant of this,” helium said.

Prosecutors allege Mr Lynn killed the pair, apt aft a confrontation with Mr Hill, portion the erstwhile aviator has asked the assemblage to judge they some died successful tragic accidents.

At the commencement of the trial, Mr Lynn’s barrister Dermot Dann KC told the assemblage his lawsuit had fixed an relationship of Mrs Clay being accidentally changeable successful the caput arsenic the 2 men wrestled implicit the gun.

He said Mr Lynn told constabulary aft his apprehension Mr Hill had travel astatine him with a weapon soon after, but fell connected the leaf and died.

The proceedings continues.