Vic killer faces day one of life in jail

Michael Cardamone has raped a 15-year-old girl and tortured and killed a much-loved mum and for his latest crime, will die in prison.

The 50-year-old was on Friday handed a life sentence with no chance of parole by Victorian Supreme Court Justice Lex Lasry after pleading guilty to murder.

The sentence was welcomed by family and friends of victim Karen Chetcuti, 49, who suffered a cruel death at the hands of her ice-addict neighbour in the rural Victorian township of Whorouly.

Sedated with horse tranquilliser, Ms Chetcuti was bound with rope and duct tape, injected with battery acid and bashed before finally being doused in petrol and burned to death.

Her body was found five days after she went missing in January 2016.

"It's just horrendous the pain and terror she went through. I still can't believe it," Ms Chetcuti's sister Leny Verbunt told reporters after the sentencing at Wangaratta.

"I'm so glad that he got life."

It is only the third time in Victoria a murderer has been jailed for life without parole after pleading guilty.

Cardamone's sentence sets a precedent as the other two killers had prior murder convictions.