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'I hope she haunts you': Murder victim’s mother delivers message to killer

The mother of a murdered Victorian woman has unleashed at the mastermind behind her daughter’s murder, telling her in court: “I hope Samantha haunts you until the day you die”.

Christine Lyons convinced two men to kill Bendigo mother-of-four Samantha Kelly in her Kangaroo Flat home, which the four of them shared, because she can’t have children of her own and wanted Ms Kelly’s.

The master manipulator had her lover and her housemate carry out the twisted plan on her command.

Bendigo mother-of-four Samantha Kelly, 39, was murdered by her housemates in 2016. Source: 7 News
Bendigo mother-of-four Samantha Kelly, 39, was murdered by her housemates in 2016. Source: 7 News

Peter Arthur bashed the 39-year-old to death while Ronald Lyons dumped her body in a shallow grave.

In court on Wednesday, Ms Kelly’s mother, Vivienne, told Lyons: “I hope Samantha haunts you until the day you die”.

Ms Kelly’s sister-in-law Danielle Stevenson, who is now raising the four children, cried in court.

“It is hard to get the images of what these monsters did to her out of my mind,” she told the court.

“It’s evil; it’s bizarre.”

Christine Lyons arrives for her plea hearing at the Supreme Court of Victoria in Melbourne on Wednesday. Source: AAP
Christine Lyons arrives for her plea hearing at the Supreme Court of Victoria in Melbourne on Wednesday. Source: AAP

Judge Stephen Kaye praised Ms Stevenson as a “beacon of humanity” for raising the kids.

“I fully commend you and Mr Kelly for your incredible selflessness and sacrifices for those beautiful children,” he said.

Arthur is currently serving a 22-year sentence for his role in the murder.

Christine and Ronald Lyons will be sentenced in the coming weeks.