Paul Charlton took careful steps to delay his capture after murdering his girlfriend 16 years ago.
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He took the dog for a walk to create an alibi, and damaged wooden panelling on Joanne Howell's garage door to make it look like an intruder had broken in.
Charlton removed the 51-year-old's clothing to make it appear like she was the victim of a sex attack, hid the weapons he used to kill her and gave police several fake suspects.
He managed to get away with Ms Howell's murder for 14 years, until he was charged in early-2021.
Even as he faced a Supreme Court murder trial, he was able to walk into court each day as a free man after being bailed.
He collapsed in court earlier this year as the jury delivered a guilty verdict, clutching the side of his chest, and was taken to hospital under police guard.
But Charlton finally learnt his fate on Wednesday.
Appearing by video link from prison, claiming he was too sick to come to court in person, the 69-year-old closed his eyes and appeared teary as he was told he would likely die in prison.
"For approximately 13 and half years you were able to live in the community without facing the full consequences of murdering Ms Howell," Justice James Elliott told Charlton.
"You must now face the full consequences of your crime."
The judge handed Charlton a 24-year prison sentence, and he will have to serve at least 19 years before he can apply for parole.
"Given your age, there is a very real prospect you will spend the remainder of your life in custody," Justice Elliott said.
Ms Howell wanted Charlton out of her home and her life before he killed her on April 21, 2007.
They had argued for months and on the day she was killed, she'd given him four weeks to move out of her Hughesdale unit, in Melbourne's southeast.
But instead of leaving, Charlton hit Ms Howell in the head, rendering her unconscious, and strangled her using a ligature.
Justice Elliott said it was an extreme act of domestic violence made more serious by his actions after the killing, which included pretending he was walking the dog and tampering with the scene.
Charlton even applied for victim's compensation over her death.
"You took deceitful steps to conceal your involvement in the murder," he said.
"You actively sought to deflect suspicion away from you in the immediate aftermath of her death."
Outside court, Lisa Hennessy described her relief after 16 years of fighting for justice for her older sister.
"He got what he deserves," she said.
"He's going to die in prison ... he's going to get justice for all the women that have died at a man's hand."
Asked how she felt about Charlton not appearing in person for his sentence, she said "he's a coward".
"He's been running for 16 years and he can't run anymore," Ms Hennessy said.
Ms Howell's family pumped their fists in the air and smiled as they left court.
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Australian Associated Press
