<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A murderer will face his former girlfriend's family after admitting he killed the 23-year-old and then tried to stage her death as a suicide.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Lachlan Young, 23, denied he murdered Hannah McGuire, claiming her death was a spontaneous incident as he took the case to trial in the Victorian Supreme Court.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But after eight days of evidence before a jury, Young admitted he killed his former girlfriend.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/south-east-queensland-total-fire-ban/d661fb00-173d-45d6-87eb-2893c95eb3fc" target="_blank" title="Tens of thousands without power post-storm as fire danger surges"><strong><span>Tens of thousands without power post-storm as fire danger surges</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Young had been controlling and abusive towards McGuire and intervention orders were taken out against him, the jury was told.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>After the second court order was made in March 2024, Young realised his relationship was over so he decided to kill McGuire, prosecutors said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Young told a workmate on April 2 that he would "roofie" McGuire, drive her out somewhere and crash the car while she was unconscious.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/murderer-to-come-face-to-face-with-family-of-victim/7f40dd9b-45da-4287-a636-58a8e4b91d43" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Two days later, McGuire went to their joint property in Ballarat's south about 9.47pm to meet with Young.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She never left the house and Young instead murdered her sometime between 1.50am and 2.53am on April 5.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/louvre-museum-robbery-suspects-arrested-over-theft-of-crown-jewels/2f3f79a9-725a-46c8-8c5a-304cd3f28f3b" target="_blank" title="Suspects arrested over theft of crown jewels from Paris' Louvre museum"><strong><span>Suspects arrested over theft of crown jewels from Paris' Louvre museum</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He then placed her body in the footwell of her Mitsubishi Triton, drove out to Scarsdale, about 25km south of Ballarat, and set fire to the car.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>As he left the scene, Young used McGuire's phone to send messages to her mother Debbie, claiming she was going to take her own life.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I'm sorry Mum, I thought this was the right decision," text messages read to the jury stated.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I tried to heal and cope with it all but I'm not OK."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He then transferred $2000 from McGuire's bank account to her mother and $5000 to himself.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Young argued at trial that McGuire's death was an unplanned and spontaneous event, and while he did kill his former girlfriend, it was manslaughter rather than murder.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But for unexplained reasons, he changed his position on the eighth day of the trial and instead entered a guilty plea to the charge of murder.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Young will return to the Supreme Court in Ballarat today for the start of his three-day plea hearing.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>McGuire's parents Debbie and Glenn, as well as other family members and friends are expected to read out victim impact statements to the court.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Young's barrister and the prosecution will then make submissions before Justice James Elliott proceeds to sentence at a later date.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>Readers seeking support can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyond blue on 1300 22 4636.</span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>Support is available from the</span></strong><span> </span><strong><span>National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service</span></strong><span> </span><strong><span>at</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.1800respect.org.au/" title="https://www.1800respect.org.au/"><strong><span>1800RESPECT (1800 737 732)</span></strong></a><strong><span>.</span></strong></div></div>