A judge in the NSW Supreme Court has heard that Daniel Billings, who has pleaded guilty to murdering young mother Molly Ticehurst, phoned a Tinder match and confessed to the killing just two hours after stabbing her 15 times in her Forbes bedroom. Prosecutors say video footage he recorded before and after the attack shows premeditation, describing him as acting like "the Grim Reaper" and appearing "jubilant" afterwards, undermining defence claims that the recordings were farewell videos linked to depression and suicidal intent.

Billings, a 31-year-old former mine worker, broke into Ms Ticehurst's home in the early hours of 22 April 2024, having been released on bail a fortnight earlier over sexual assault and domestic violence charges against her, which he strenuously denied. During the sentencing hearing in Orange, the court viewed 90 minutes of footage, including Billings driving to her home singing along to Johnny Cash, and heard from a Tinder contact he called from a friend's property straight after the murder, telling her "I'm sorry, I murdered her." Sentencing is scheduled for 11 September, after Billings finally entered his guilty plea in November 2025 following more than 18 months of legal negotiations.