The family of murdered Whangarei woman Ashlee Edwards is pleased with her killer's sentence but remains heart-broken.

Jimmy Akuhata has begun a term of life imprisonment with a minimal non-parole period of 15 years for drowning the mother of his two children.

Ms Edwards' mother Karen gave a victim statement in court.

"Ashlee's death was so senseless and unnecessary," she said.

"There has been so much hurt inflicted. We've lived from court date to court date."

Edwards claimed she will not forgive Akuhata for murdering her daughter.