Jurors in the trial of Greg Lynn, a former airline pilot accused of the double murder of campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay in Victoria's alpine region in March 2020, have retired to consider their verdicts. Lynn pleaded not guilty to the charges but admitted to moving the bodies to remote bushland and burning their remains. The families of Hill and Clay expressed both relief and devastation at the verdicts. Lynn was found guilty of Clay's murder but not guilty of Hill's. The families thanked the jury for the guilty verdict and acknowledged the difficulty of the task given the destruction of evidence. They expressed devastation at the not guilty verdict for Hill's murder, stating that there was not enough evidence to determine how he died. The families praised the prosecution for their diligent effort but noted that some evidence could not be shown to the jury. They now want to put the case behind them and begin healing and getting on with their lives. Russell Hill's wife and daughter gave evidence during the trial, with Hill's wife revealing his affair with Clay. Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Martin O'Brien commended the families for their courage and resilience and thanked the missing persons detectives for their determination and perseverance in the exhaustive and complex investigation [376b0d22] [29f1adb8].
In a separate trial, Brendan Sandimar, a 30-year-old man, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Dallas Levi Donaldson in Kalgoorlie. Sandimar was charged over the death of Donaldson on May 28 last year. He will face trial next year. The plea was made in the Supreme Court of WA on Monday. Sandimar was barely audible during the plea [316875a5].
Damian Homer, a 50-year-old man, has pleaded guilty to the murder of his partner's mother, Wendy Francis, and the attempted murder of his partner, Stacey Hill. The crimes occurred on March 2, 2022, at their residence on Haresfield Close. Emergency services were called to the scene at around 8:30 pm. Damian Homer will face a mandatory life sentence, and the judge will determine the minimum term before he can be considered for parole. Homer had previously received a suspended prison sentence for assaulting Stacey Hill in June 2020. The case has been adjourned to a later date for sentencing [e91fb864].
In other news, the bodies of a man and a woman were found near a secluded beach in Victoria. The circumstances surrounding the deaths are yet to be determined [94677e05].
Prominent forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden, hired by the family of Sandra Birchmore, has concluded that her death was a homicide, contradicting earlier findings by state investigators that she died by suicide. Baden cited the extent of Birchmore's injuries and the placement of a ligature found on her body as factors in his determination. The case involves allegations of grooming and repeated assaults by three former Stoughton police officers, Matthew G. Farwell, William Farwell, and Robert C. Devine, who are being sued for wrongful death. The FBI and the state attorney general's office are investigating the case. Baden's determination opens a new front in the case, prompting further examination of the evidence [6b6a828f].
Actor Austin Butler, 32, has shared his ongoing heartache over the death of his mother, Lori, in 2014. He describes his mother as someone who was kind to everyone and his best friend. The smell of orange blossom evokes a powerful memory of his mother, as they used to pick oranges from the tree in their backyard and make orange juice together. Butler credits his parents for his success in acting, as his mother quit her job to support him. After his mother's death, Butler experienced grief and a lack of fulfillment in his acting career. However, his career changed when he auditioned for The Iceman Cometh, which led to a period of success. Butler continues to cherish the memories of his mother and the impact she had on his life [76ed08c0].
San Diego hiker Diem Le Nguyen is presumed dead after her body was found on Black Mountain. She was participating in a fundraiser hike organized by the Build a School Foundation when she separated from the group on the descent. The body of a woman matching her description was found on another trail. The cause of death is undetermined, and the San Diego County Medical Examiner will make the official identification. Diem is described as a devoted mother of three and a U.S. Navy employee. Her family remembers her as a caring person who always put others before herself. The hike took place during San Diego County's first heat wave of the summer, and investigators say Diem called her sister complaining about the heat and a need for water. The family is questioning how Diem got so far off the trail and why no one saw her struggling. The hike was live-streamed on social media. The article provides safety tips for hiking in high temperatures [9bc9473d].
Jameelah Elena Michl, a homeless woman, has pleaded guilty to killing Michael Latt, a Hollywood consultant and social justice activist, in his own home. Michl gunned down Latt in November 2024 while she was on the hunt for his friend, movie director A.V. Rockwell. Michl forced her way into Latt's home, shot him in the head, and warned Rockwell in a letter before the shooting. Latt was the CEO and CFO of a marketing firm called Lead With Love and was known for his work on films that conveyed messages he supported. Michl faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison and is due back in court for sentencing on July 10 [58f91b36].
Developer Patrick Carroll was arrested in Hollywood late Monday and booked on a felony charge. The arrest occurred at 9:30 p.m. on July 1, with Carroll officially booked in the early morning hours Tuesday by the Hollywood Division of the Los Angeles Police Department. Carroll remains in custody, according to records available through the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department as of Tuesday afternoon. It’s unclear what prompted the arrest. Carroll, who struck a deal last year to sell his Atlanta-based development firm Carroll Organization for $80 million, appears to have been in Los Angeles for at least the past month. His legal name is Michael Patrick Carroll. The arrest is the latest in a number of legal incidents involving the developer, but it’s the first in Los Angeles. Previously, a court ordered him to undergo a mental health evaluation after a neighbor reported gunshots near Carroll’s home. In October, he was arrested for felony battery after two Gold Rush Cabaret employees in Miami accused Carroll of assault. Carroll’s behavior has also resulted in him being banned from several ritzy Miami restaurants, including Carbone, Hiyakawa Miami, and Cote Miami. [b0b05d46]
Max Garza, a Troy man, recently withdrew a no contest plea in connection with a family inheritance murder plot. Garza had pleaded no contest to an added count of attempted possession of a firearm or distribution of ammunition by a person convicted of a felony, and prosecutors dismissed five counts of solicitation to commit murder. However, he changed his mind and is now scheduled for trial on the five original charges on October 14, 2024, before Oakland County Circuit Judge Michael Warren. Garza wanted some family members dead to obtain a larger inheritance from an estate and because he was upset with his targeted family. He was making plans to kill family members and was trying to obtain a firearm to kill them himself. Recorded conversations of Garza discussing his plans to solicit or commit murder and details on how to carry it out were provided to the police. Garza is currently held in the Oakland County Jail on a $1 million bond. [a38b3704]
Gavin Smith, a Hollywood executive, was brutally murdered in May 2012 by John Creech, the husband of Smith's lover, Chandrika Creech. Smith's skeletal remains were found in a shallow grave in California's Angeles National Forest more than two years after his disappearance. Smith, a former basketball star, had a successful career as a film distributor for 20th Century Fox. However, he struggled with marital issues, financial strain, and drug addiction, leading to multiple extramarital affairs. Smith's murder was motivated by jealousy and infidelity. Creech attacked Smith after catching him with Chandrika in Smith's car, beating him to death. Creech buried Smith's body and hid his car in a storage facility. Creech was charged with voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to 11 years in prison. The verdict was controversial, with some feeling that justice was not served. Smith is remembered as a devoted father and a larger-than-life personality. [5cd84883]
Canadian special-effects guru Daniel Langlois and his partner, Dominique Marchand, were found shot dead in their car on the island of Dominica. Langlois was a pioneer in the film industry, known for his work on Jurassic Park. The couple had moved to Dominica in the late 1990s and had become prominent members of the community. They were involved in a long-standing dispute with American businessman Jonathan Lehrer over a local road. Lehrer and his alleged accomplice, Robert Snyder Jr., have been arrested and charged with the murders. The motive for the crime is still unclear, but there have been wild accusations of corruption, cartel involvement, and faked deaths. The case is set to go to trial in September [c89afbc7].