The family of Steven Murphy, a 38-year-old homeless man murdered in Adelaide’s northern outskirts, has confronted his killer in court. 

Keith Yandle, who has been convicted of fatally shooting Murphy on his property in Kudla in 2023, was called a “heartless pig” by his victim’s family.

“I couldn’t believe that such a disgusting organism exists on the face of the earth,” Sean Murphy, Steven’s uncle, said.

“That’s all I can describe him as, I wouldn’t describe him as a man.”

“He should go away for the rest of life and die, hopefully as an old man in jail so he can suffer for all of those years,” he added.

“Death would be too good for him.”

Murphy’s mother also delivered her victim impact statement, saying she never believed one of her children would just disappear, “never to hug, never to say ‘I love you’ again”, adding that “two years have passed and the pain keeps coming”.

The only time Yandle said anything today was during a short outburst from the dock, repeatedly yelling out and accusing prosecutors of lying about his intentions to kill his victim.

Murphy had been sleeping rough on Yandle’s property when he was shot four times at close range. The court heard that Murphy was unarmed and cowering at the time of the shooting. 

Yandle subsequently buried Murphy’s body beneath a shed used for growing cannabis.

Yandle’s defence lawyer maintained that his client’s intent to murder only lasted a few seconds. 

He will be sentenced in July.