'Jealous' killer who stabbed mother of childhood friend 38 times jailed for 22 years

A man who stabbed the mother of his childhood friend to death because he was jealous of their loving family life, has been jailed for 22 years.

Sri-Lankan born Prasad Somawansa, was stabbed 38 times by her son's former school friend, after he was invited to her family's Hoppers Crossing home in Melbourne in February last year.

By chance, the woman's son Wishhasad had crossed paths with the killer Sigaragh "Steve" Baea, in the weeks prior to the murder.

Wishhasad went to primary school with the 22-year-old Papua New Guinea national Baea before his family moved away from Australia.

The pair had not seen each other for 10 years when they reconnected in January 2016. On that occasion, Baea was invited to dinner at the family home, prepared by Mrs Somawansa.

The Victorian Supreme Court on Tuesday heard Baea became jealous of the family's closeness, which was in contrast to his own troubled family life.

A few weeks later, on February 18, Baea turned up unannounced at his friend's home. He was invited inside and Mrs Somawansa made him coffee as the young man chatted to her son.

When Wishhasad was called away in his role as an SES volunteer, he dropped his friend off at Werribee Plaza at 8.30pm.

But Baea returned to his friend's home on foot claiming he had left his Myki transport card behind. The 48-year-old woman was alone, and he stabbed her to death.

Her last moments were heard by her husband, Priyantha Hewage, after the interstate truck driver received a call from his wife's phone at 8.52pm.

All he heard was her shouting "you go out" three times, followed by "Dos, Dos, Dos", which was her name for her husband, and loud, deep breathing noises.

The 48-year-old had multiple injuries to her head, chest, arms, wrists and hands.

In his sentencing submissions Victorian Supreme Court Justice James Elliott called the attack "vicious" and "cowardly" and said Baea was jealous of his friend's happiness.

"You found the experience of watching two loving parents supporting their son in his life and studies quite confronting.

"It was a vicious, gruesome and cowardly attack. You stabbed this defenceless woman in her own home violently and repeatedly."

Justice Elliott said Baea attacked the woman, even though she had shown him kindness.

"Even though Ms Somawansa had only shown you hospitality and courtesy in the past, you took to her with a knife, which you carried in your trousers, and you stabbed her at least 38 times."

The 22-year sentence handed to her killer offered no comfort to the family.

Outside court, the victim's son said no sentence could make up for the loss of the woman who cared for everyone in her life, including her killer.

"It will never compensate for the loss of my mother. She was a beautiful person, she was loving, she was caring and she always wanted to do good for everyone else."

Baea was not found to be suffering from any psychiatric illness and never identified a motive for the murder.

In court he showed no sign of remorse over Mrs Somawansa's murder, other than by way of his guilty plea.

He will be eligible for parole in 17 years.