Lachlan Young Denies Murder of Hannah McGuire
BALLARAT, VIC – Lachlan Young, 23, has admitted to killing his former girlfriend Hannah McGuire but denies that her death was murder. Facing the Victorian Supreme Court in Ballarat, Young has pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter, claiming the killing was “unplanned and spontaneous.”
Prosecutors, however, allege Young murdered McGuire on April 5, 2024, following a history of controlling and abusive behavior. Crown prosecutor Kristie Churchill told the court that Young could not accept the end of their relationship and the impending loss of their shared home, and that he formulated a plan to kill her.
The jury heard that Young told a coworker on April 2 that he would drug McGuire and crash a vehicle with her inside. Two days later, McGuire visited their joint property around 9:47 p.m., and was never seen alive again. Prosecutors allege that sometime between 1:50 a.m. and 2:53 a.m. on April 5, Young murdered her.
He then placed McGuire’s body in her Mitsubishi Triton, drove 25 kilometers to Scarsdale, and set the vehicle on fire. A workmate is alleged to have driven Young back from the scene.
During the return drive, Young used McGuire’s phone to send misleading messages to her mother, including one that read: “I’m sorry Mum, I thought this was the right decision.” Other messages, apparently designed to appear as suicide notes, said she wasn’t coping and “tried to heal.”
Young also transferred $2,000 from McGuire’s bank account to her mother, and $5,000 to himself. When McGuire’s mother arrived at Young’s home in panic, he reportedly denied seeing her daughter and acted shocked at the messages.
“These were some of the lies he told not only to McGuire’s family, but to his own family and the police,” Churchill told the court. After being arrested on April 7, Young told investigators he would “never f—— harm that girl.”
Defence barrister Glenn Casement admitted Young’s actions after the killing were “appalling” but maintained the incident was not premeditated murder. “He made bad choices to cover up what he had done,” Casement said. “That does not make him guilty of murder.”
Casement also argued that the testimony of Young’s workmate should be viewed with skepticism and encouraged the jury to consider McGuire’s voluntary decision to visit the house that night, as well as the context of prior intervention orders.
The trial, overseen by Justice James Elliott, is expected to examine text evidence, forensic findings, and the timeline of events leading to McGuire’s death. The prosecution maintains that Young’s calculated actions—including sending fake messages and destroying evidence—demonstrate clear intent.
McGuire’s tragic death and the disturbing attempt to disguise it as a suicide have sparked renewed discussions about domestic violence and coercive control in Australia.
The trial continues.
