Loved ones of murdered grandmother Sally Rothe don't want leniency for killer

The family of a South Australian grandmother who was horrifically murdered has told of their relief after the man responsible for the vicious crime pleaded guilty.

Travis Kirchner, 43, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court this morning to enter his plea over the death of Sally Rothe at a Murray Bridge property earlier this year.

Ms Rothe's family is angry Kirchner will be given a reduced sentence because of the guilty plea.

"We're relieved," Ms Rothe's daughter-in-law Taigen Murphy-Philby said.

"We were told a couple of weeks ago he was going to plead not guilty, so it was going to be strung out even longer."

Police discovered Ms Rothe's body on February 4, after responding to reports of a disturbance at the house on Albert Terrace.

A teenage witness who raised the alarm noticed a man forcing his way into the 54-year-old's home at the time.

Ms Murphy-Philby said Kirchner had not shown remorse and did not deserve leniency.

"He definitely doesn't deserve it," she said.

"The door got kicked in. She was an old, frail lady - she weighed maybe 45 kilos.

"I don't think he's sorry at all. Maybe he's sorry he got caught."

Kirchner fled the scene of the murder, sparking a five-day manhunt across South Australia and Victoria.

He was arrested by Victoria Police in the Melbourne suburb of Doveton, more than 700 kilometres from where the mother-of-three was murdered.

Major Crime Investigators from South Australia Police extradited Kirchner back to South Australia where he remained behind bars until today's hearing.

Two others, 49-year-old Ronald Cook and 50-year-old Marnie Passehl, were also arrested and extradited to South Australia after being accused of helping Kirchner evade police.

They both pleaded guilty earlier this year. Under state law, Passehl and Cook were entitled to a sentencing discount of between 30 per cent and 40 per cent for their early guilty plea.

Today, Kirchner was remanded in custody and will appear in the Supreme Court for a sentencing hearing in October.

With AAP.