Accused Killer of Ex-Girlfriend Alleged to Have Sent Fake Suicide Text to Her Mom to Cover Up Murder: Reports

An Australian man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend and burning her body allegedly sent a fake suicide text to her mother in an attempt to cover up her murder, according to reports. 

On April 5, 2024, Hannah McGuire, 23, was reported missing by her family after they received a concerning text from her phone, 9News and ABC Australia reported.

Amid Lachlan Young’s trial, the Victorian Supreme Court heard that Hannah’s mother Debbie woke up at 3:43 a.m. to a text message from her daughter’s phone which read, “I’m sorry mum, I thought this was the right decision. I tried to heal and cope with it all but I’m not okay,” per ABC Australia. The message, which was shown to the jury, continued, per 9News, “I tried messaging Lach but he doesn’t want anything to do with me now. Please check in on him – this is going to break his heart.”

McGuire’s body was found later that day in a burned-out vehicle in Scarsdale in Victoria, according to the outlets.

The court heard these messages, along with bank transactions, were allegedly sent by Young in an attempt to stage her death as a suicide, per ABC Australia.

Young, 23, was charged with murder on April 8, 2024. A second 22-year-old man was also arrested at the time, but was later released, per ABC Australia.

Young has allegedly admitted killing McGuire and sending the fake suicide note but has pleaded not guilty to murder, per 9News. He has claimed it was a spontaneous incident.

After receiving the text from her daughter, McGuire’s mother texted back, “Where are you… you’re not going back to him” and “You can’t live the way you were living … being treated like c— …. Remember why you left in the first place,” referring to Young, per 9News.

After texting back multiple times and getting no response, Debbie went to the house that Hannah and Young owned together and knocked on the door and bedroom window, but got no answer. She then saw Young with his father walking down the road and told them about the texts, before reporting Hannah missing, per 9News.

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Debbie reportedly told the court that Young seemed “shocked” and allegedly told her that he also received concerning texts from Hannah’s phone. 

He also pretended to be shocked at receiving $5000 in his back account from McGuire. He later allegedly admitted to wiring the money to himself and $2000 to her parents, per 9News.

Hannah’s parents reportedly accused Young in court of being violent towards her in their relationship and claimed that she had planned to leave him for good.

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In March 2024, Young allegedly “attacked” Hannah’s car as she attempted to leave him, per 9News. Her father Glenn Mr McGuire also gave evidence and said he took his daughter to a solicitor and the bank in early April 2024 to sort out her financial situation post-separation, according to the outlet.

He tearfully told the court the last time he saw Hannah was at a pub with her netball teammates on April 4, 2024, per the outlet. She was allegedly murdered hours later.

PEOPLE has reached out to the Victorian Supreme Court and Ballarat Police for comment.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.