Alexis Katsis almost got away with murder.
But 27 years after he raped, strangled and burnt the body of his frail and lonely 66-year-old neighbour he was linked to the case through DNA.
Doris Fenbow died "in pain, terror and degradation" in her Sydney flat in September 1988 and on Friday morning Katsis was sentenced to at least 15 years in jail at the NSW Supreme Court.
The 45-year-old kept his head down, focused on his folded hands as Justice Desmond Fagan sentenced him for the crimes committed against a recluse Katsis referred to as "smelly".
Katsis, the court heard, most likely snuck into Ms Fenbow's southern Sydney unit through a broken window after coming home from a late-night drinking session in Maroubra with his sister.
He snuck into the bedroom of Ms Fenbow, who only weighed 54 kilograms, and grabbed her from her bed.
She was dragged into her lounge room, violently subdued and raped.
Either during the rape or shortly after, Katsis strangled Ms Fenbow.
There were also signs of a struggle inside her unit and an autopsy revealed Ms Fenbow had broken ribs, scratches on her neck and chin, and bruising to her eyes and left breast.
"The offender's attack on Ms Fenbow was savage, inhuman and despicable," Justice Fagan said.
After the vicious attack and rape, Katsis arranged cushions around Ms Fenbow's body and set them alight.
He also started three other fires in the unit where Ms Fenbow had lived by herself.
Neighbours saw smoke coming from her unit and called emergency services, who found Ms Fenbow's charred body.
She didn't have many visitors but was known around the area.
So too was Katsis, who at the time was one week shy of turning 18.
Katsis was eventually charged last year, after DNA was taken from him when he was jailed for break and enter offences.
He concocted a story about being forced to rape her by a man he claimed had sexually abused him.
Katsis told the jury during his 12-day trial he was on an innocent errand when he was dragged into Ms Fenbow's unit.
Ms Fenbow, he claimed, was already unconscious and lying on the floor.
Katsis said oral sex was then performed on him before he was "physically manipulated" into raping Ms Fenbow.
Justice Fagan rejected the "purported explanation" and said it indicated a lack of remorse.
The rapist and killer will be eligible for parole in September 2029.
