Stephen Beadman killed Kayleigh Haywood after she was groomed online by his neighbour Luke Harlow - who himself got 12 years for the part he played in the crime.
The killer raped the schoolgirl in a park before marching her barefoot to a secluded field where he murdered her.
Kayleigh's family burst into tears and began hugging and embracing each other in court this afternoon when the sentences were dealt out - with reporters saying there was a feeling of justice having been done.
Tragic Kayleigh is believed to have used a brick and then her fingernails in a bid to escape Beadman's clutches.
Beadman was left covered in cuts and scratches by his schoolgirl victim as she fought desperately for her life.
However, the 29-year-old overpowered the teenager and left her body in farmland in Leicestershire.
Kayleigh was found three days after being reported missing by her family.
Today, at Nottingham Crown Court, Beadman was jailed for life.
He will serve a minimum 15 years for rape - and 35 years minimum for murder - while Harlow was also sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Mrs Justice Cox said the minimum term of 30 years for murder was not sufficient.
She told him: “Kayleigh was young, had been groomed and had been drinking.
“After you killed Kayleigh you searched online for ‘lime pit’. This is chilling.
“You waited 3 days before telling police what you had done.
"In those days Kayleigh was a missing person and her family and friends at their wits end.”
After telling Beadman he would be serving a minimum of 35 years, Kayleigh’s family and friends began embracing each other.
Beadman, 29, had already admitted raping Kayleigh in a park before marching her barefoot to the secluded field where he murdered her.
Harlow had pleaded guilty to grooming and sexually assaulting Kayleigh.
Both were found also guilty of imprisoning the 15-year-old in the hours before her death.
Kayleigh's mum Stephanie Haywood, 37, previously broke down in tears as she spoke about her family's loss.
She said: "We cannot begin to find the words to describe how we feel or how we continue to get through each minute of every day.
"We lost our beautiful, precious little girl Kayleigh who we will never see again. We miss Kayleigh every minute of every day, as do her brothers and sister. "
We are all heartbroken and devastated, our hearts have been torn apart.
"We ask ourselves every day, why? Why Kayleigh? Why did this happen to our beautiful daughter?
"Today we have got justice for our beautiful daughter. But that doesn’t change anything for us. We have to live with this heartache forever."
During the trial a jury heard how Kayleigh was the latest in a long line of young girls that horror movie fan Harlow had groomed online.
Using his Facebook account Luke 'Fun Times' Harlow he first contacted her with flirty messages on October 31.
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