Adelaide father admits murdering 20yo daughter

An Adelaide man has pleaded guilty to the murder of his 20-year-old daughter, less than a month after her body was discovered in a car beside him.

Petrit Lekaj, 49, admitted on Monday to killing his daughter, Sabrina Lekaj. He appeared in Port Adelaide Magistrates Court via video link. 

The medical student was found stabbed to death in her Mercedes Benz, close to the family's Kidman Park Home, after a night out in July. 

Sabrina Lekaj's body was found next to her father, who was suffering from an allegedly self-inflicted abdominal injury.

Initial reports claimed Lekaj stabbed his daughter before turning the knife on himself.

The 49-year-old was treated in the Royal Adelaide Hospital and later remanded in custody. He was being held in James Nash House, the city's secure mental health facility, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

Prosecutors have asked for a 12-week adjournment to allow time for post-mortem and toxicology reports to be finalised.

The 20-year-old has been described as intelligent and outgoing, studying medical imaging and classical piano performance at the University of South Australia.

The young woman's funeral was held on August 8, where her 11-year-old brother Pyrrhus and mother Romina delivered heartbreaking eulogies.

"My sister was very loving and caring, we always went everywhere together," Pyrrhus said.

The tragic circumstances were not mentioned at the funeral service, as her mother Romina urged mourners to "focus on the good times".

"My darling daughter, you have not left us - you will always be here with us. You were so beautiful, so smart and you touched so many lives," she said.

Petrit Lekaj is due to appear in the Supreme Court on November 25.

Newshub.