Lachlan Young has admitted guilt to the murder of his ex-partner, Hannah McGuire, eight days into his trial. Initially, the 23-year-old had confessed to manslaughter, admitting that he killed McGuire and burned her body in her car on April 5, 2024. However, he maintained that the act was “unplanned and spontaneous” and pleaded not guilty to murder.
The trial commenced on July 9 in the Supreme Court of Ballarat,Victoria, where the crime took place. Young was accused of murdering McGuire in the early hours of April 5, before transporting her body to Scarsdale, south-west of Ballarat, and setting fire to the vehicle.
A witness, Benjamin O’Keefe, who saw Young setting fire to the vehicle, later revealed that he was unaware McGuire’s body was inside the car at the time. The jury was not present on Thursday, but reconvened on Friday to hear Young plead guilty to murder. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for a later date.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jul/18/hannah-mcguire-murder-lachlan-young-pleads-guilty-ntwnfb
