Kym Wayne Barnes, 32, Shane Matthew Muckray, 28, and Chad Badcock, 32, were last year found guilty of the bashing and stabbing murder of 27-year-old Jayson Doelz in 2012.

In the South Australian Supreme Court on Tuesday, Badcock received a non-parole period of 32 years and six months, Barnes of 26 years and Muckray of 20 years.

Mr Doelz's family and supporters cheered and embraced as the three were led from the courtroom, with one yelling "justice" after the sentences were read out.

Justice David Lovell said Badcock was the instigator of the murder, which he described as violent, cowardly, prolonged and inhumane.

"You committed this crime with no semblance of normal human emotion," he told the three men.

"I have no doubt that it was in some way related to drugs, but I do accept that Mr Doelz owed no more than a few hundred dollars.

"[Mr Doelz] was a slightly built young man and stood no physical chance against you."

Mr Doelz was found dead at the base of an embankment on the side of a road in the Adelaide Hills near the small town of Kersbrook in 2012.

During the murder trial, prosecutor Emily Telfer told the jury he was repeatedly and violently assaulted during an attack after a dispute over a missing pair of designer sunglasses.

The victim had come to know his killers through his drug use.

In January 2012, he had gone to a house at suburban Pooraka with several pairs of sunglasses that he was trying to sell or swap for drugs.

Ms Telfer said it was there that one of the pairs went missing and, in trying to find them, Mr Doelz angered Barnes and Badcock.

She said about a week later they asked him to return to the house where they accused him of stealing and assaulted him, first punching and elbowing him to the head before placing a cord around his neck.

The two men, who had been joined at the house by Muckray, put Mr Doelz in the boot of a car and drove towards Kersbrook, in the Adelaide Hills.

During the journey they continued the assault, inflicting the stab wounds, including one which penetrated his carotid artery.

The body of Mr Doelz was found two days later by a man out walking.

After the murder conviction, lawyers for Barnes and Muckray said their clients were remorseful but Badcock, a member of the Commancheros bikie gang, maintained his innocence.

Outside court on Tuesday, Mr Doelz's sister, Symone Doelz, said the family were pleased the legal process had finished.

"Jayson's family do not feel that any sentence, besides never being released, will be long enough, although we are very happy with the result today," she said.

"It was just good to see them be known for what they are and get what they deserve."

Australian Associated Press