Sarahjane Dower's former partner wanted her out of his life half a decade before he stabbed her twice in the neck and burnt her body in 2012.
But the murdered woman's mother made sure her daughter was in the room to see Kynan Watego Devenna sentenced to life in prison on Friday.
Apolonia McDonnell carried her daughter's ashes through five days of disturbing testimony at Devenna's trial and sentencing.
A video-taped police interview in which Devenna, 32, recalled telling Ms Dower "you're going to die, I'm not calling an ambulance" was among the most confronting evidence.
"The way he got rid of her, it's just so hard to comprehend," Ms McDonnell told reporters outside court after the sentencing.
Ms McDonnell also heard admissions from Devenna that he had wanted her daughter dead since 2007 when custody issues over the pair's two children first arose.
Now those children have neither a mother nor father to care for them.
"They know that their father killed their mum," Ms Dower's stepfather John McDonnell said.
"But they don't know the gruesome details."
Ms Devenna didn't want her daughter to go to see her former partner about custody arrangements on the day of the murder.
She had a bad feeling and a fortnight before something told her she should check her daughter's ute, which Devenna eventually used to transport the body from Ayr to where it was burnt.
Devenna, who has suffered from PTSD after returning from Afghanistan, will be eligible for parole in 15 years minus time already served.
The McDonnells say they're pleased with the result but will still think of the 26-year-old woman every day.
"I miss her phone calls," Ms McDonnell said.
"I miss calling her."
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