This post deals with violence against women and might be triggering for some readers.

Mary Benedito went for a holiday on the Gold Coast. She never made it home.

The 25-year-old mother died in hospital after being beaten and strangled by her ex-partner Reo Te Whetu Marama Marsh on November 27, 2021.

Her family faced long hours moving between hope and dread as she lay in intensive care for three days before the heartbreaking decision to turn off life support.

They gathered outside Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday to deliver a powerful message, challenging men to "do better" in the fight against domestic violence, after Marsh, 39, received a life sentence for murder.

"Women are still dying. Women are still faced with so much trauma and hurt and pain because of men who have not fixed themselves," Mary's cousin Josiah Benedito-Taotafa said.

"I want men to call out shitty behaviours with their friends.

"I want men to grow some balls and start doing better with their communities."

Domestic violence would continue until every person could "educate themselves and do better", he said.

"I want to encourage the government to keep fighting for people's safety, in their community, their relationships, in their minds."

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Marsh dragged Mary back into a Gold Coast hotel room and killed her, making a pathetic attempt to revive her before a cowardly escape, Justice Lincoln Crowley said.

Mary had been subject to blunt force assaults and died of a brain injury caused by manual strangulation.

"She had significant bruising to (her) arms, forearms, shoulders and fingers referred to as defensive injuries," crown prosecutor Nathan Crane said.

The couple were separated and had been arguing about Mary's plan to move to New Zealand with their 11-month-old son.

Marsh was also jealous over Mary seeing other men.

The couple could be seen on CCTV earlier in their Gold Coast holiday swimming and shopping.

Marsh fled their hotel room after fatally wounding Mary and travelled to a Brisbane suburb while attempting to evade a police search.

Mr Crane said Marsh pleaded guilty to murder on the basis he assaulted Mary with intent to cause her grievous bodily harm.

'Humorous and deeply compassionate.'

Mary was remembered as "humorous, totally confident in her values and deeply compassionate", Mr Benedito-Taotafa said in a victim impact statement.

"My family has seen their faith shaken, their health decline and a collective struggle to navigate grief, shock and trauma."

Mary's sister said she never thought she would have to bury her younger sibling.

"Her greatest achievement was being a mum and he took that from her," she said.

Mary's aunty Maria, who had helped raise her as a child, said she would always be heartbroken.

"Seeing her black and blue with tubes keeping her alive broke our family into pieces," she said.

Marsh had daily regrets and self-hatred for taking what could not be replaced, he wrote in a letter to Mary's family.

"The unfairness of my actions are too severe to ask for forgiveness," he said.

Marsh's barrister said his guilty pleas had saved the family the trauma of a trial and he was genuinely remorseful.

Marsh made a cowardly escape before paramedics arrived, Justice Crowley said.

"All this happened because you became angry ... you sought to control her life."

Marsh will be eligible for parole in under 16 years due to time already served in custody.

Mary was the 40th Australian woman killed by violence in 2021, according to Sherele Moody's Australian Femicide Watch.

A GoFundMe page has been set up by Benedito's family, the money raised to go towards her son. You can contribute here .

If you or anyone you know needs to speak with an expert, please contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) — the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service. If you are in immediate danger, call 000.

RizeUp Australia is Mamamia's chosen charity partner, a nation-wide organisation that walks with victim-survivors of domestic and family violence to deliver practical, life-changing support. RizeUp supports women and families as they rebuild safety and stability after violence. Donate here to create safe homes and new beginnings.

This article was published in 2021 and has been updated with new information.

Feature Image: Facebook/ @Mary Benedito.