WA woman jailed for life over mum's murder
Levina was captured on CCTV footage withdrawing funds from her mother's account in the days after the murder. (Supreme Court of WA)
Helen Levina had an "immense dislike" for her elderly mother and had told a neighbour she wanted to kill the 76-year-old months before the victim was found buried in a shallow grave in the rear garden of their Perth home.
Levina's daughter made the shocking discovery in March 2016 when she noticed a bad odour at the South Guildford state housing property and found her dog chewing on a human skull.
Levina, 57, closed her eyes and shook her head repeatedly in the WA Supreme Court on Tuesday, as she was sentenced to life in jail for murdering Ella Victoria Hromaya in February 2016.
The mother-of-two must spend at least 20 years behind bars before she can be eligible for parole.
The court heard Levina's relationship with her mother had been described as love/hate, dysfunctional and co-dependent.
"It is clear that your relationship with the deceased was acrimonious," Justice Joseph McGrath said.
The court heard Levina had previously told a neighbour: "I have my mother living with me. I can't stand the f****** bitch. I want to kill her."
Police were also once called to the house when the pair argued after Ms Hromaya broke an ornament, and Levina told the officers she wanted them to take her mother away.
The court heard the evening Ms Hromaya was killed, Levina struck her mother to the head and repeatedly stabbed her legs.
But Justice McGrath could not determine whether Ms Hromaya was dead when she was buried.
He said Levina had an immense dislike for her mother and there must have been a significant trigger to cause such a vicious assault.
"Your assault on the deceased was not planned or premeditated," he said.
Justice McGrath said Levina used bleach to speed up the decomposition and lied about what had happened, claiming her mother had moved out with some Jehovah's Witnesses who had visited the home.
A psychiatric report found Levina's mental state was not disordered and she was an "intelligent woman with intact reasoning and judgment".
Defence counsel Henry Sklarz said Levina maintained her innocence and would appeal her conviction.
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