Man strangled girlfriend because she thought she was a demon

A man who strangled his girlfriend believing she was a “life-sucking demon” has been sentenced for her murder.

A man who strangled his 18-year-old girlfriend because he thought she was a “life-sucking demon” has learned his fate over her death.

Emerald Wardle was killed in the home she shared with boyfriend Jordan Brodie Miller, in Metford in the NSW Hunter Region, after he suffered a psychotic episode in June 2020.

Miller was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with a non parole period of 13 years, at a Supreme Court hearing in Newcastle on Thursday.

Having already spent several years in custody since his arrest, Miller will first be eligible for release in 2033.

He will be 33 years old.

Jordan Brodie Miller was sentenced to 20 years behind bars for killing girlfriend Emerald Wardle. Image: Supplied

During the trial, Miller admitted to having killed Ms Wardle but argued it was due to an undiagnosed mental illness, assumed to be schizophrenia.

However the jury found Miller’s descent into psychosis was caused solely by drug use, with the court being told he used cannabis for several years and LSD on at least 30 occasions.

“Members of the community must understand that taking drugs can have significant consequences,” Justice Robert Cavanagh said during sentencing.

However, he accepted Miller was suffering from a psychotic episode at the time of his offending.

Justice Cavanagh said despite pleading not guilty, Miller had cooperated with the trial and much of the Crown’s evidence had not been disputed.

“The offender entered the prison system as a young man and will need a longer period of parole under supervision when he leaves the prison system,” he said.

Ms Wardle was found strangled to death inside a Metford home the couple shared. Source: Facebook.

Ms Wardle’s body was found in the early hours of June 20 after Miller rang triple-0 and told them he killed a demon that was “sucking the life out of him”.

Defence barrister Peter Krisenthal told the court Miller had not been intoxicated at the time of the offending.

“There was evidence he had used drugs for a period of time,” Mr Krisenthal said.

“Never did it have any adverse effects, he didn’t know of the possibility of developing a psychotic condition.”

The trial heard Miller had become increasingly detached from reality in the days and weeks leading up to Ms Wardle’s death.

The court was told he had taken LSD 11 days prior to the murder and afterwards told police he felt he was “in a matrix” with the only way to escape by killing either himself or Ms Wardle.

Miller called police himself and claimed he had killed a demon that was “sucking the life out of him”. Picture: Peter Lorimer,

Mr Krisenthal told the court that Miller had a “positive upbringing” and a loving family, did well in school and attended The University of Newcastle.

He said Miller had strong prospects of rehabilitation and was unlikely to reoffend.

“This is a very serious offence, this is a tragic matter from every single aspect … the young lady has lost her life, and a young man who had a bright future faces a significant future in imprisonment,” Mr Krisenthal said.

During a sentence hearing in August, Ms Wardle’s mother Tania Simshauser described finding out about her daughter’s death as the worst day of her life.

“I remember getting the call to see her and formally identify her … it is the day my life changed forever and broke my soul,” she said.

“I will never be the same again.”

Ms Simshauser told the court how her daughter had “trusted a monster” and now she would never get to live out her “hopes and dreams”.

“Emerald has paid the ultimate price … the young man she loved most took her life.”