Hannah McGuire’s family burst into tears after the man accused of killing her denied killing the beloved teacher’s aide.
Ms McGuire’s ex-boyfriend, Lachlan Young, appeared in court in Ballarat via video link on Thursday where he formally entered a plea of not guilty to murder.
The courtroom was packed with friends and family of Ms. McGuire, many of whom wore T-shirts with her smiling face.
There was an audible gasp as Young made his plea from a video room at Melbourne Assessment Prison.
Wearing a pink T-shirt and a mullet, Young showed no emotion as he attended the hearing.
The court heard that Young had declined his right to a preliminary hearing and instead decided to have his case heard expeditiously in the Supreme Court of Victoria.
Hannah McGuire poses outside her King Drive home with her alleged killer Lachlan Young, just over a year before her death
Ms McGuire’s parents, Glenn and Debbie, were left devastated in Ballarat District Court on Thursday
Friends and family of Ms McGuire wore T-shirts with her image on them in court on Thursday
Outside the courtroom, Nicole Van Berkel, a friend of Mrs. McGuire’s family, tried to hide her emotions.
“It’s just a tragic loss. It’s just senseless,” she said.
Ms Van Berkel was one of about 100 people who gathered in the courtroom to support Ms McGuire’s family.
“It’s just horrible,” she said of Young’s plea.
“We thought, do us all a favor, but.”
Mrs. McGuire’s distraught parents, Glenn and Debbie, stormed past the press after the hearing.
They stood at the front of the courtroom, allowing Young to see them clearly on his video screen from jail.
A police officer was seen hugging Mrs McGuire’s mother as she entered the courtroom.
No reason was given why Young chose to take the case directly to the Supreme Court.
Alleged mushroom killer Erin Patterson made a similar decision last month.
Like Patterson, Young’s case is being rushed to the Supreme Court so that the trial can begin as soon as possible.
However, it is unlikely that the trial will take place anytime soon, and is not expected until late next year.
Ms McGuire’s mother hugged a police officer outside the court before Thursday’s hearing
Friends and family of Hannah McGuire lined up outside court on Thursday
Hannah McGuire allegedly murdered by her estranged partner
Lachlan Young appeared in court in a similar manner to this photo
Young told the magistrate he understood what his decision meant.
No reasons have been given as to why or how police allege Young killed his recently estranged partner.
Although the media has endorsed the charges against Young, the reasons for them remain unknown until he stands trial.
The photo shows McGuire posing with a broad smile on her face next to a large ‘sold’ sign next to her then-partner outside their home in Sebastopol, near Ballarat in regional Victoria, just over a year before her alleged murder.
The snapshot of happiness was taken almost a year before Young appeared in court on Tuesday to answer for the murder of Mrs. McGuire.
Another photo, obtained by Daily Mail Australia, showed a beaming Young snuggling up to his immaculately dressed partner.
The property on King Drive was sold to the then couple on March 17 last year, with the couple moving in shortly afterwards.
Ms McGuire’s body was found near State Forest Road, near Scarsdale, south-west of Ballarat in Victoria, just before 1am on Friday.
Her death was initially ruled a suicide after her body was found in a burned-out car.
But the coroner’s report found she suffered fatal injuries before the vehicle burst into flames.
Nicole Van Berkel said she was devastated by Young’s plea of not guilty
Lachlan Young was arrested at the couple’s dream home on Sunday
Hannah McGuire was a beloved teacher’s aide
A friend of Ms McGuire, who wished to remain anonymous, told Daily Mail Australia that her friend had worked as a teacher, along with Young’s sister.
“Hannah was the most caring person you could meet. No matter what your background was, she welcomed you with open arms,” she said.
Mrs. McGuire was completing her studies and working as a teacher at the same time, until her heartbreaking death.
A year earlier, the then-happy couple paid $470,000 for their first dream home, which was cordoned off with police tape on Tuesday as a crime scene.
Young’s childhood home, where his parents still live, is a stone’s throw from the property.
The couple’s home had three bedrooms, one bathroom and a large double garage in the backyard.
The couple were popular with many of their neighbours, who had fond memories of times spent drinking with them at their home.
Young will appear in the Supreme Court of Victoria next month.
