‘Killed her by choice’: Family of slain grandmother Vyleen White voices outrage after killer teen pleads guilty to 70yo’s murder

A teenager has admitted to stabbing a beloved grandmother to death while trying to carjack her in the underground carpark of a shopping centre.

The devastated widower of a grandmother violently murdered by a teen thug in an underground shopping centre carpark has voiced his outrage outside court.

Victor White, the husband of Vyleen Joan White, spoke outside court after sitting through the teenager’s arraignment at Brisbane Supreme Court on Tuesday.

The then-16-year-old pleaded guilty to murdering Ms White, 70, while trying to carjack her in the underground carpark of Town Square Redbank Plains Shopping Centre about 6.10pm on February 3, 2024.

Vyleen Joan White was fatally stabbed by a teenager in the underground carpark of a Redbank Plains shopping centre last year. Picture: Supplied

Victor White, the husband of Vyleen White, said no sentence could bring his partner back. Picture: NewsWire

He will be sentenced on November 12.

Ms White’s death sparked outrage from the community and led to reforms of Queensland’s youth justice system.

Last year, the newly elected LNP government passed a tranche of laws allowing courts to sentence youths as adults on some offences.

Flanked by family and members of the support group Victims 1st, Victor slammed former Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s government for creating what he called the “untouchables”.

Mr White was joined by family and members of the support group Victims 1st at the teen’s arraignment at Brisbane Supreme Court on Tuesday. Picture: NewsWire

He acknowledged no sentence could bring Ms White back but expressed hope “proper justice” could be achieved for future cases.

“The worst part is sitting there and listening to what he’d done,” Victor told media outside court.

“What stinks … is that she gave the keys willingly, and he killed her by choice. He acted like God.

“Lucky I’m not the judge, I’m telling you.”

Vyleen’s daughter Julie White said the past few years had been ‘tough’ for the family. Picture: NewsWire

He said Ms White’s granddaughter witnessed the horrific ordeal and would have to learn how to come to terms with her grandmother’s death.

Asked what kind of sentence he would like to see imposed, Victor said, “A life for a life”.

Last year, the LNP government passed a tranche of hard line laws allowing courts to sentence youths as adults on some offences.

Under the prior Labor government’s laws, the maximum penalty for a child guilty of murder was 10 years - but life imprisonment could be imposed if the offence was found to be “particularly heinous”.

The LNP’s new laws have stripped that penalty away, meaning children now face a mandatory life sentence with a minimum non-parole period of 20 years if found guilty of murder.

The teenager pleaded guilty to Ms White’s murder during an arraignment at Brisbane Supreme Court on Tuesday. Picture: Glenn Campbell / NewsWire

Cindy White, Vyleen’s daughter, said she felt intimidated seeing her mother’s killer being brought into the courtroom.

“All that went through my mind, personally, is what on earth did my mum think in that moment,” Cindy said.

“So for her to be there, with the granddaughter, I couldn’t imagine. Those final moments I wouldn’t wish on anyone.”

Cindy spoke of how tough the past few years had been for the family, including the mental and financial strain of coming to terms with Vyleen’s death.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was committed to stand trial on multiple charges, including murder, following a committal hearing in March this year.

On Tuesday, he entered pleas of guilty to charges of murder and unlawful use of a motor vehicle as well as three counts of stealing.

Police at the scene where Vyleen White was stabbed in the chest in the car park at Town Square Redbank Plains Shopping Centre. Picture: Glenn Campbell / NewsWire

They related to thefts that occurred at a McDonald’s at Bellbird Park and a Liquorland and 7-Eleven store on the same day he killed Ms White.

Asked if he wanted to say anything in response to the charges, the teenager said: “No, Your Honour.”

The court was told a presentence report was required to be prepared under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act ahead of a sentencing in November.

Justice Lincoln Crowley set down a half-day sentencing and the teenager was remanded in custody.

Originally published as ‘Killed her by choice’: Family of slain grandmother Vyleen White voices outrage after killer teen pleads guilty to 70yo’s murder