Perth man Darren Chalmers has admitted to the murdering his neighbour Dianne Barrett.
Ms Barrett had previously denied Chalmers a sexual relationship,which was a “dead issue” on the night of her murder.
Chalmers eventually led police to Ms Barrett’s body at Karrakup,50 kilometres south-east of Perth,as part of a sting operation after eight months of investigations.
The remains were so badly decomposed she had to be identified by dental records,and the cause of death was unable to be determined by forensic pathologist Dr Daniel Moss.
Mr O’Sullivan said Chalmers had a long-standing methylamphetamine addiction and had been taking the drug for a week,with no sleep,when he injected a significant amount on the night of the murder and entered a “methylamphetamine rage,[where] there’s really no trigger”.
Loading
Neighbours alerted police to Ms Barrett’s disappearance in late May and her dog was found a week later locked inside her house without food or water,with the lights and television left on.
She was last seen alive at Bunnings buying flowers for her elderly mother.
Ms Barrett’s sister,Kathy Phelan,was in court but did not provide a victim impact statement.
Outside court,she toldNine News Perth:“My beautiful mum died last week,which is sad,but I’m happy because I believe as a Christian that she’s up there in heaven with her daughter,Dianne.
“I’m just proud to be representing Dianne and the family and everybody who knew her and everybody who cared about her ... because she was the most beautiful person if you met her.
“If she could see someone struggling for whatever reason she would help if she could.”
Chalmers has also been questioned over the death of young Geelong woman Annette Steward almost three decades ago.
The mother-of-two was found dead by a male friend inside her bedroom at her home in Hope Street,Geelong West,on March 18,1992,two weeks before her 30th birthday.
An autopsy revealed she died as a result of strangulation,police said in 2015.
Ms Steward had two children and worked in a Geelong ammunition factory at the time of her death.
Her daughter,Jacinta,was 13 when her mother died,and her son,Aaron,was 10 years old.
Victoria Police worked with WA Police to speak to Chalmers after his arrest in January last year,with aspokeswoman telling this masthead in August detectives had plans to charge Chalmers.