A man has admitted he killed his ex-girlfriend because she wanted to leave after he had paid $50 for a taxi to his caravan park.
Ricky John Williams, 44, faced the Supreme Court in Wangaratta on Tuesday where he pleaded guilty to the December 2021 murder of Carmen Niklaus, 40.
He was living temporarily at Everton Caravan Park, just outside Wangaratta, after he was booted from a private rental due to falling behind on rent.
Prosecutor Jordan Johnston told the court, days before the murder, Williams told a housing assistance worker: "On Monday, the first person I see, I'm going to do whatever I have to do."
On Monday, December 6, Ms Niklaus, who was homeless and a drug user, took a taxi to visit Williams, her former boyfriend of about 18 months.
Williams paid $50 for her taxi when she arrived at the caravan park, helped her out of the cab and put her in a shower.
After the shower, Ms Niklaus began punching herself and said she wanted to leave. Williams felt used by his ex-girlfriend, who he claimed would only visit him for a roof over her head and money.
"I lost my s***. She wasn't there to be with me, she had nowhere else to go," Williams later told police.
"She started punching herself, I said 'that's it', I grabbed a knife and stabbed her."
He stabbed her using a kitchen knife and then picked her up, cradled her, kissed her head and held her foot, before trying to get help.
He called a case worker and told him he had stabbed someone but didn't want to call an ambulance because it would take too long.
Paramedics arrived within half an hour and pronounced Ms Niklaus dead from multiple stab wounds to the chest and abdomen.
Williams admitted he killed Ms Niklaus when he was arrested that evening, as he said she "deserved" for him to tell the truth.
Her brother, Christopher Niklaus, said he "fell to the floor and broke down" after his father informed him of her death.
"I don't think anyone deserves to die alone, or in such a violent way, I wouldn't wish any of this on anyone, it's just cruel," he told the court, between tears.
He said he closed his social media accounts after news of the murder spread to locals.
"Dealing with social media and the public response was troubling, very traumatic. There's no privacy in a small country town," Mr Niklaus said.
Williams, who is facing life in prison, will be sentenced at a later date.
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