Emotions ran high in a Victorian courtroom as Lachlan Young, accused of murdering his former partner Hannah McGuire, changed his plea to guilty mid-trial.
The 23-year-old had initially pleaded guilty to manslaughter, admitting to killing McGuire and burning her body in her car, but denied the murder charge, claiming it was unplanned and spontaneous.
On Tuesday, Young admitted to murdering McGuire in Ballarat, then placing her body in a car in Scarsdale and setting it on fire.
His guilty plea was met with applause and tears from those present in the courtroom.
A pre-sentence hearing for Young will be held at a later date.
McGuire’s family, who owns the National Hotel Clunes, responded to the news on Facebook, stating, “No other result would have been fitting. All for you Hannah, my sweet girl.”
Her parents, Debbie and Glenn, broke down as they gave emotional testimony during the trial.
The prosecution revealed that after the murder, Young sent deceptive messages to McGuire’s mother, trying to make it appear as though she had taken her own life.
One message read, “Please check in on him – this is going to break his heart,” which McGuire’s mother later told the court “didn’t feel right.”
Young also admitted to transferring $5000 from McGuire’s bank account to himself and $2000 to her parents after her death.
McGuire’s father recounted seeing his daughter for the last time on April 4, 2024, at their pub, where she was with her netball teammates—just hours before she was murdered.
Support is available for anyone affected by domestic violence through the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).
