Maryam Hamka's partner claimed she died from a drug overdose. He's now been jailed for her murder.

Maryam Hamka was killed by her abusive boyfriend in 2021, and today her murderer was jailed for 28 years.

Toby Loughnane, 45, looked up and nodded as he was sentenced in the Victorian Supreme Court on Friday to a minimum of 20 years behind bars for Hamka's murder.

Maryam's brother Hassan said the family were happy with the outcome and felt like justice had been served after four years of waiting.

"But the justice will never bring Maryam back," he told reporters outside court.

Loughnane claimed the 37-year-old died of a drug overdose in the early hours of April 11, 2021, and his only crime was not calling an ambulance.

But a jury rejected that theory, instead accepting the prosecution's case that Loughnane fatally assaulted Maryam with murderous intent.

Neighbours heard a woman screaming and sobbing from Loughnane's Brighton apartment for hours before the noises stopped about 3am on April 11.

Loughnane then sent two messages to Maryam's friend from her phone at 4:37am.

The killer left Maryam's naked body in a bathtub for days before moving it into his friend's car and scrubbing his apartment clean with bleach.

Loughnane then drove to Cape Schanck in Melbourne's southeast and dumped Maryam's body in a shallow grave.

When police knocked on his door, Loughnane claimed he had not seen his girlfriend and even said it was disgraceful Maryam's family were not helping officers more.

He was arrested and charged with her murder in August 2021.

Loughnane finally told police where Maryam's remains were two years later, after his friend implicated him in the murder.

But Loughnane continued to maintain his innocence, claiming his only crime was not calling an ambulance when Maryam overdosed on drugs.

Justice Christopher Beale rejected that story on Friday as he sentenced Loughnane to 28 years behind bars.

He will be eligible for parole after 20 years but has already served nearly four years of pre-sentence detention.

"You told her you'd make her scream."

Justice Beale said the murder happened in the context of protracted family violence, which was an aggravating feature.

"The fatal violence you inflicted on her was not an isolated incident," he said on Friday.

Family and friends reported seeing Maryam with bruises during the couple's 15-month relationship, and the court heard that the 37-year-old had threatened to kill her.

Justice Beale noted the "torrent of highly abusive" text messages and voicemails Loughnane sent Maryam, where he threatened to shoot her, drown her, set her on fire or slice her face off.

"You told her you would make her scream in agony," the judge noted. "The text messages made for appalling reading."

Loughnane also filmed Maryam while she was drug-affected in the hours before her death and made degrading comments to her, Justice Beale said.

He noted Loughnane had an extensive history of family violence against Maryam and other partners, as well as prior convictions for drug offences.

He found Loughnane's prospects for rehabilitation were slim and there was no evidence of remorse.

"I am not satisfied that you are truly remorseful as opposed to feeling sorry for yourself and those around you," Justice Beale said.

But Loughnane may receive some leniency because he revealed the location of Maryam's body to police, the justice said.

Loughnane will be aged in his 60s before he is eligible for parole.

Feature image: AAP.