PHOTO: FILE
Just shy of a year before he allegedly murdered her, Hannah McGuire purchased a home with her former boyfriend, Lachlan Young. Grinning broadly, the 23-year-old stood beside her then-partner in front of a sizable ‘sold’ sign outside their residence in Sebastopol, near Ballarat in regional Victoria.
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The joyful snapshot was captured almost precisely a year before Young stood trial on Tuesday, facing charges related to Ms. McGuire’s murder.
Hannah McGuire poses outside her King Drive home with her alleged killer Lachlan young a little over a year ago
Hannah McGuire and Lachlan Young together inside their home in happier times
Ms. McGuire’s body was discovered near State Forest Road, close to Scarsdale, south-west of Ballarat in Victoria, shortly before 1 am on a Friday. Initially deemed a suicide after being found in a burnt-out vehicle, a coroner’s report suggested she had sustained fatal injuries prior to the car being set ablaze.
An anonymous friend of Ms. McGuire revealed that she had worked alongside Young’s sister, describing her as an incredibly caring individual who warmly welcomed everyone.
Ms McGuire’s devastated parents Glenn and Debbie and her brother sobbed and consoled each other outside a Ballarat court on Tuesday
Ms. McGuire, in the midst of completing her degree while working as a teacher, tragically met her demise. The property she once shared with Young, purchased for $470,000 a year earlier, was cordoned off as a crime scene.
Young, accused of Ms. McGuire’s murder, was arrested inside the residence they once shared. Despite police tape now surrounding what was once their happy abode, memories linger among neighbors who fondly recall socializing with the couple.
With investigations ongoing and multiple crime scenes being scrutinized, details surrounding Ms. McGuire’s untimely death remain scant. Young’s defense lamented the lack of information provided by authorities, hindering their ability to seek bail.
Outside the court, Ms. McGuire’s grieving family, including her parents Glenn and Debbie and her brother, found solace in each other’s embrace. A Ballarat lawyer, Brooke Tamanika, spoke on their behalf, acknowledging the profound impact of the tragedy on their lives and the community at large.
Young will remain incarcerated until his next court appearance scheduled for September.
SOURCE: THE DAILY MAIL