Life for a life.
That's the punishment the family of Melbourne doctor Ashley Gordon thinks the teenage burglar found guilty of his stabbing murder deserves.
A Victorian Supreme Court jury on Wednesday convicted the 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, of murder after he had admitted two counts of aggravated burglary.
The boy showed no emotion in the dock as the jury foreperson delivered the verdict while his victim's family broke into tears.
Outside court, Dr Gordon's mother Catherine said the only suitable punishment for the killer was "life, forever, never get out" after he robbed the family of their beloved son and brother.
"He took his life. A life for a life. It's got to be life," she tearfully told reporters.
"Ashley was still young. He still could have had children. He still could've got married. We don't get any of that so he doesn't deserve to get any of that either."
Dr Gordon's sister Natalie said the verdict was the "biggest relief" after the "most gut-wrenching" fortnight in the trial.
"Unimaginable things ... (the defence) tried to make him sound like such a monster and (the jury) saw through it all," she said.
The teen criminal had broken into Dr Gordon's Doncaster home in Melbourne's northeast while he and his housemate were asleep in the early hours of January 13, 2024.
The boy had attended a house party with a friend the night before when they noticed Dr Gordon's Mercedes-Benz in his garage and had discussed taking the car, prosecutor Kristie Churchill had told the court.
Just after 4am, the accused and his friend walked over to the home before breaking in through a partially opened garage door where they stole shoes, headphones, laptops, a wallet and silver necklaces belonging to the victim.
Returning to their friend's house, the boys "boasted about things they stole" and planned to return for the car.
Four teenagers donning gloves, balaclavas, face masks and hats broke in a second time, but they didn't go undetected, with the doctor catching them inside his home before chasing the teens out onto the street.
Dr Gordon got into his car and began chasing three teens until they ended up in a nearby carport.
As the 33-year-old got out and attempted to restrain the then-16-year-old, telling him the "cops were on the way", the boy revealed a knife and inflicted 11 injuries, stabbing the doctor six times and leaving him dying on the ground.
The two other boys, who had earlier jumped a fence, returned after the accused yelled for help and one allegedly kicked Dr Gordon in the face before they fled.
The trio burned their clothing before meeting up the day after when they discussed fleeing the country and not to snitch.
The accused was arrested three days after the stabbing.
Defence barrister Amelia Beech told the jury the teen admitted stabbing Dr Gordon causing his death but denied intending to kill or cause serious injury, arguing he was acting in self-defence.
The teen gave evidence during his trial, saying he thought Dr Gordon tried to kill him with his car, and continued advancing at him in the carport even when he pulled out the knife and said "I don't want to do this".
Dr Gordon's family described the GP as the life of the party and someone who made people smile and always put his patients first.
While nothing will bring him back, they said the verdict was a small win for them and the wider community.
"We can try to start to move forward - we will never move on - but move forward with our lives and remember him in the happiest ways, with his big smile and cheeky laugh," his sister Natalie said.
The jury of 12 took two days to come to its verdict and the teen will face a plea hearing in October.
