A man has pleaded guilty to murder exactly seven years after body parts were found in a chest freezer buried in the victim’s backyard.

Bobby Andrew Weaver faced Brisbane Supreme Court today for what was meant to be a pre-trial hearing.

The crown prosecutor instead asked Justice Rebecca Wilson to arraign Weaver on one count of murder.

Bobby Andrew Weaver (right) is seen being driven from the Tweed Heads Police Station by Queensland Police to face court in relation to the alleged murder of Goodna man David Thornton, whose body was found in a freezer buried in his backyard. (AAP)

Weaver said “guilty” when asked how he would plead to the charge of murdering David Charles Thornton some time between January 24 and March 10, 2019 at the Ipswich suburb of Goodna, west of Brisbane.

Weaver declined to say anything further to Wilson.

Thornton, a retired maths and science teacher, was last seen near his Goodna home on February 22 and was reported missing by his family on March 12, 2019.

Police began digging in his yard over a weekend in late March.

David Thornton was last seen in February 2019. (Queensland Police Service)

On April 1, 2019 they excavated the freezer that contained human remains belonging to Thornton.

Weaver was extradited to Queensland from NSW on April 3, 2019 following his arrest on the previous day at a Pacific Highway rest stop at Tyagarah, just north of Byron Bay.

He was due to face the start of a Supreme Court trial on July 27 this year.

Wilson today ordered Weaver continue to be remanded in custody and scheduled a review on April 8 to confirm a date for sentencing.

Weaver’s barrister said she would seek a subpoena for her client’s medical records to assist with sentencing.