Adelaide man who murdered sleeping housemate with frying pan, mop jailed

An Adelaide man who used a frying pan and a mop to murder his sleeping housemate has been jailed for at least 21 years.

Peter James Freyer, 49, struck Joe Triulcio, a father of two, up to 15 times in the head with the frying pan and later shoved the mop down his victim's throat after becoming sick of the man's "gurgling and struggling", Justice David Lovell told the Supreme Court this morning.

Freyer's actions were prompted by a threat Mr Triulcio made to kill his uncle, a threat Freyer took seriously and stewed on after police took no action.

Justice Lovell said Freyer decided to make a "pre-emptive strike", attacking his housemate as he slept on a couch at the boarding house they shared in August last year.

Mr Triulcio had no warning and was unable to defend himself.

The killing was "particularly callous and gruesome", a "senseless, cowardly and violent attack", the judge said.

Freyer pleaded guilty to murder in February this year.

He was jailed for life, with Justice Lovell setting a non-parole period of 21 years.