Hannah McGuire's parents say a fitting verdict has been delivered for their "sweet girl" after her abusive former boyfriend pleaded guilty to her murder.
The 23-year-old's body was found inside her burnt-out vehicle in regional Victoria on April 5, 2024, two weeks after her relationship with Lachlan Young had ended.
After killing Ms McGuire, Young tried to stage her death as a suicide and pretended to be her in text messages to her parents.
Young, 23, went to trial maintaining he did not murder Ms McGuire, instead pleading guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.
But he pleaded guilty to murder on Friday morning, just minutes after the Supreme Court jury was brought into the courtroom on the eighth day of the trial.
"I've been informed by counsel this morning that the matter's resolved," Justice James Elliott told the jury in Ballarat as Young pleaded guilty.
The judge thanked the jurors for their service before he discharged them without a verdict.
"Although you haven't been required to deliver a verdict, you've still carried out an important function in leading to this matter being resolved and for that I thank you," he said.
Justice Elliott then instructed custody officers "can you please take Mr Young back to the cells".
Ms McGuire's parents Debbie and Glenn own The National Hotel in Clunes, where their daughter worked behind the bar.
They posted to the pub's Facebook page after hearing news of Young's guilty plea.
"No other result would have been fitting. All for you Hannah, my sweet girl," the National Hotel in Clunes post said.
"Something tells me, it's going to be a big night at the Nash."
The trial was told Ms McGuire had been "terrified" of Young and had gone to police in February 2023 to tell them his behaviour was escalating.
"I feel really scared," her statement to police said.
Crown prosecutor Kristie Churchill said Young's relationship with Ms McGuire was "controlling and turbulent" and rejected his manslaughter plea.
She said Young had told a workmate days before that he planned to "roofie" Ms McGuire, drive her out somewhere and crash the car while she was unconscious.
Two days later, she went to their joint property to meet with Young but never left the home.
The prosecutor said Young murdered Ms McGuire between 1.50am and 2.53am on April 5, placed her body in the footwell of her car and drove to Scarsdale, where he set fire to the vehicle.
As he left the scene, Young used Ms McGuire's phone to send messages to her mother, claiming she was going to take her own life.
"I'm sorry Mum, I thought this was the right decision," text messages read to the jury said.
"I tried to heal and cope with it all but I'm not OK."
Young transferred $2000 from Ms McGuire's bank account to her mother and $5000 to himself.
Ms McGuire's parents gave emotional evidence at the trial, with Debbie breaking down in court on Monday about receiving the texts.
One of Ms McGuire's work colleagues told the trial the primary school she was employed at had to be locked down when Young threatened to go there after their break-up.
Young's barrister, Glenn Casement, admitted his client had made "appalling and bad choices" to cover up what he had done.
But he claimed he was not guilty of murder and it was an unplanned and spontaneous event.
Young will face a mention hearing next week, followed by a pre-sentence hearing at a later date.
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