3 convicted of murdering Ryan Lane in child visitation dispute

After deliberating for 14 hours, aCalgary jury has found the three people accused of killing Ryan Lane guilty of first-degree murder.

Sheena Cuthill, her husband, Tim Rempel, and his brother, WilhelmRempel,have been on trial for the last 5weeks. They were all charged in the kidnapping and killingofLane, in February 2012 after he started fighting forvisitation rights with the daughter he andCuthillshared.

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The brothers were also found guilty of kidnapping on Wednesday, butJustice Alan Macleodinstructed jurors to acquit Cuthill of that charge.

A first-degree murder conviction comes with an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years.

The verdict represents closure for the family,according to Crown prosecutorTomBuglas.

"This was a long and hard, emotional trial for the family,"said Buglas.

Some members of Lane's family gasped loudly and cried asthe verdicts were read aloud.

None of the three newly convictedshowed any emotion as they learned their fate but some of their family members lowered their heads and quietly sobbed.

"I'm disappointed," said Tim Rempel's lawyer, Allan Fay.

"It's always disappointingwhen a client is found guilty of a crime of this magnitude."

Court heard evidence that Lane, who was 24, was killed after he was kidnapped by the Rempel brothers from a parking lot in the city's northwest. His body was burned in a barrel at a gravel pit near Beiseker, Alta., 70 kilometres northeast of Calgary.

Lane's remains were discovered in the barrel along with his class ring and pieces of his cellphone four months after he disappeared.

"This was one of the most significant CPS investigations I'm aware of,"said Buglas."The police made the decision to keep going and, because of that, we're here today."

Text message conversations about the Rempel brothersconfronting Lane began after the first family court mediation session between Cuthill and Lane in November2011.

Fay indicated he's likely to appealTimRempel's conviction.

AlainHepnerand Jim Lutz, who representSheenaCuthillandWilhelmRempel respectively,both declined to comment.

A sentencing hearing will take place on Friday, when victim impact statements will be read.