EMERALD Wardle was a young woman with a bright future, hopes and dreams, a loving family and a loyal group of friends.
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But on June 20, 2020, her promising life was cut short when her boyfriend, Jordan Miller, strangled her to death.
There was no history of domestic violence and Miller - a university student working part-time - had no criminal record.
Instead, Miller was in a psychotic state and had lost touch with reality causing him to believe Ms Wardle - the woman he was in a loving relationship with - was a "demon" who was "sucking the life out of him."
Her death was a tragic and senseless case of domestic violence that shocked everyone who knew the pair.
There was no dispute during Miller's murder trial over the past few weeks that it was Miller who had killed Ms Wardle. He confessed; first to police and then during his first appearance in court, repeatedly saying: "I am a murderer."
And the medical experts called to give evidence agreed he was in a psychotic state at the time of the killing.
The crucial issue for the jury to determine was what caused him to be in that psychotic state and made him believe he had no choice but to kill the young woman he loved.
Miller had pleaded not guilty to murder and raised a defence of mental health impairment, his defence claiming he was suffering from a first episode of psychosis in the form of an underlying chronic schizophrenia.
The prosecution, led by Crown prosecutor Lee Carr, SC, said the psychosis Miller was suffering at the time of the killing was caused "solely" by using LSD and cannabis. Mr Carr pointed to the reports of Professor David Greenberg who opined Miller's psychotic episode was "temporary", related to his use of drugs and it was too early to definitively diagnose him with schizophrenia.
And after deliberating for about 12 hours the jury agreed with the prosecution, filing back into court about 2.40pm on Tuesday and finding Miller guilty of murder.
Miller hung his head and closed his eyes when the verdict was read.
He remains behind bars and will face a sentence hearing in August.
I am a murderer.
- Jordan Miller said repeatedly during his first court appearance in June, 2020, only hours after Emerald Wardle's death.