A 55-year-old Jetstar pilot has been charged with two counts of murder in connection with the case of missing campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay.
The pair, aged in their 70s, were last heard from on March 20, last year.
Police later found their burnt-out campsite and vehicle in Victoria’s Wonnangatta Valley.
Greg Lynn, 55, from Caroline Springs, was charged last night, three days after he was arrested in remote High Country bushland.
Assistant Commissioner Bob Hill told the media that authorities are now stepping up efforts in a bid to find the pair’s remains.
“We have located a specific area and we will establish a search parameter. We are hopeful we will find the remains,” he said. “Our efforts to find the remains of Russell and Carol will continue. We are committed to finding the deceased persons.”
Police say they are hopeful they will be able to locate the couple and provide closure to their families.
“This has been one of the most significant investigations we’ve undertaken in recent years,” Assistant Commissioner Bob Hill said. “The investigators are relieved, but they appreciate there’s more work to be done … it has been a long haul, 20 months, in fact, of commitment and dedication that has been extraordinary.”
Mr Lynn was arrested while camping at Arbuckle Junction in a remote part of the Victorian High Country, almost 300km east of Melbourne.
Chief commissioner Shane Patton said authorities were still linking clues together in ‘one of the most complex cases’ in Victoria’s history.
“We’re not rushing into anything here. We’re taking it methodically,” he said.
Why do this, what’s wrong with the human race?