Next steps for ex-pilot’s murder trial jury

Jurors in the trial of former Jetstar captain Greg Lynn will soon be asked to retire and deliberate verdicts, the jury has been told.

Gregory Stuart Lynn, 57, is facing trial after pleading not guilty to murdering Russell Hill, 74, and Carol Clay, 73, while on a camping trip in the remote Alpine National Park.

On Thursday, the judge overseeing the trial, Justice Michael Croucher, began delivering his charge — where he sums up the case and advises jurors of the issues to decide and relevant legal principles.

At the conclusion of the day, Justice Croucher said he would summarise the final addresses of the prosecution and defence when the case resumes on Friday morning before the 14-member jury is balloted down to the 12 Victorians who would decide the case.

He told the jury he expected they would be asked to retire and deliberate verdicts “before lunchtime”.

Earlier, Justice Croucher advised juries that both parties had agreed alternative charges of manslaughter would be withdrawn from their consideration.

“Manslaughter will no longer be available to you as an alternative charge,” he said.

“If you are not satisfied of murder, there will be no basis for an alternative verdict of manslaughter.”

Outlining the prosecution and defence cases, Justice Croucher said prosecutors alleged Mr Lynn murdered Mr Hill in unknown circumstances and through unknown means in the evening of March 20, 2020, likely following an argument over Mr Hill’s drone.

Mr Lynn then allegedly murdered Mrs Clay by shooting her in the head as a witness to the first slaying, he said.

On the defence case, Justice Croucher said, Mrs Clay died due to the accidental discharge of Mr Lynn’s shotgun as the two men wrestled for control of the weapon.

Mr Hill then attacked Mr Lynn with a knife, falling on the blade as the two men struggled.

Justice Crouchers said both parties agree Mr Lynn took a series of steps to hide his involvement in the deaths, including cleaning and burning the campsite, disposing of the bodies only to return eight months later to incinerate them and painting his car and trailer.

He said prosecutors were asking the jury to accept these actions could only be reasonably explained by Mr Lynn’s knowledge he had murdered the pair.

Defence on the other hand, Justice Croucher said, argue all available evidence supports Mr Lynn’s account of two accidental deaths, and that his actions were the result of panic and fear he would be wrongly blamed.

“Mr Dann (Mr Lynn’s barrister) submits the prosecution are asking you to fill in the gaps with speculation,” he said.

Justice Croucher told the jury their job was not to punish Mr Lynn for the “terrible and selfish” actions he had admitted to, but to impartially judge if the prosecution had proven the four elements of murder for each death beyond reasonable doubt.

He said Mr Lynn was to be presumed innocent, and for the jury to think two accidental deaths was improbable, was “fundamentally flawed”.

The trial continues.