Grandmother Murdered, Body Burned: Two Jailed For Life

Two men have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of Donna Louise Howe, a 57-year-old grandmother. Clinton Travis Oliver, 45, and Braydon Franklin, 35, were convicted of murder and interfering with Howe's corpse.

The pair killed Howe on Mother's Day 2022, after which they rolled her body in a rug and left it in a vehicle for a day. Her remains were subsequently dumped and set alight in bushland near Beerburrum, an area about an hour north of Brisbane.

During the trial, a Brisbane Supreme Court jury heard that tension over suspected stolen property may have motivated the attack. Justice Martin Burns described the men's actions as "senseless and barbaric," noting their "extreme cowardice" in attacking the grandmother in her own home.

Oliver and Franklin also took over Howe's house after her death. Oliver even lied to Howe's daughter, claiming her mother was on holiday and making copies of her financial details. The judge highlighted Oliver as the main motivator, likely striking the fatal blow, possibly with a hammer.

Both men received life sentences for murder and maximum five-year sentences for interfering with the corpse. Their minimum parole period was increased from 20 to 21 years due to their "atrocious" post-murder actions. Oliver will be eligible for parole in June 2043, and Franklin in November 2044.