Police are pleased the family of murdered Dunedin teen Amber-Rose Rush have been given answers.
The man convicted of killing Rush, junior doctor Venod Skantha, has been sentenced to a minimum of 19 years behind bars for her brutal stabbing in 2018.
Det Snr Sgt Rob Hanna says her family have endured an unthinkable two years.
"I take my hat off for how strong they've been and how supportive they've been to the police," said Hanna.
Skantha's defence counsel has indicated he will appeal the sentence.
On Friday, Skantha was found guilty of four charges of threatening to kill.
Skantha pleaded not guilty to the murder charge, with his defence claiming Amber-Rose was killed by an intruder who was not him.
But the jury sided with the Crown, which said the Dunedin doctor sneaked into Amber-Rose's home and stabbed her to death.
During the trial, it was revealed Skantha was on his final warning for serious misconduct at the time of the murder.
In giving his sentence, Justice Gerald Nation said the killing showed "an irrational arrogance" and was "callousness to a high degree".
Speaking outside of court, Amber-Rose's father Shane Rush said the family would have to deal with the tragedy by being "strong together".
"We know that the life sentence is not what we would ask for, we would have asked for more, but it is what it is," he said.
"Myself and my children will just go on and be strong together."
Skantha's lawyer Jonathan Eaton said his client maintains his innocence.
