Maree Vermont spent more than three decades building her forever home, stone by stone, in central Victoria.
She put her heart and soul into its construction but it was destroyed on August 5, 2023, when her killer tried to cover his tracks.
Timothy Loosemore, 63, had earlier that evening assaulted the 60-year-old mother of three, killing her inside the property she loved so much.
He then set alight the home, which was designed to withstand bushfires, destroying it and Ms Vermont's body inside.
Loosemore claimed to a Victorian Supreme Court jury he did not harm Ms Vermont or set fire to the property in Goldie, 70 kilometres north of Melbourne.
But the jurors rejected his story, finding him guilty of manslaughter in June.
Ms Vermont's loved ones packed the court on Thursday as her killer faced a pre-sentence hearing.
Her son Harrison read aloud a statement, saying Loosemore's actions had been selfish and violent in a space that was so beautiful.
"This is a heartbreaking loss," he told the court.
"Maree loved the sun - she herself was a shining light in this world. (Her death) makes the world a little bit darker."
Ms Vermont's brother Paul Adams cried as he detailed his overwhelming sense of loss.
"She brought energy and warmth to the people around her," Mr Adams said.
"I miss her smile, her kindness, her compassion."
Loosemore met Ms Vermont in March 2023 when she provided him a room in exchange for work on her property.
The pair had a brief intimate relationship but five days before her death she told him she did not want it to continue.
Loosemore's barrister Chris Farrington accepted his client killed Ms Vermont in response to the rejection and his decision to set fire to the home was an aggravating feature of the manslaughter.
But the barrister argued the judge could not determine how Ms Vermont died nor that Loosemore had used an accelerant in the fire.
Mr Farrington accepted Loosemore had not shown remorse for his actions but maintained his client had no memory of the night.
Justice Andrew Tinney questioned that claim, noting the repeated lies Loosemore told witnesses, police and paramedics in the aftermath.
"I don't think he's told the truth to anyone," the judge said.
Senior crown prosecutor Mark Gibson KC argued Loosemore clearly inflicted a serious assault on Ms Vermont, pointing to the fact her blood was found on his clothes and she left scratches on his face.
Mr Gibson also argued accelerant was used in the fire, noting witnesses at the scene reported smelling fuel on him.
Loosemore shook his head throughout Thursday's hearing and at one point interjected while the judge was speaking.
He is expected to be sentenced on September 11.
Outside court, Ms Vermont's sons described their mother as a very peaceful, loving and caring person.
"It's a very hard day," Darcy Vermont told reporters.
"But it's bringing some sense of closure to be able to get up in court and have our voices heard."
