Ryan Lane's family speak to his murderers at sentencing hearing

From feeling "broken, weak and lost"to letting go of "dark seething hatred," Ryan Lane's family described for his killersand a Calgary courtroomhowhis death has affected them.

"I begged the universe to tell me this was a nightmare," said Lane's sister, Meagan.

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Justice Alan Macleodheard victim impact statements and sentencing submissions Friday morning ahead of delivering automatic life sentences with no chance of parole for 25 years to Sheena Cuthill, Tim Rempel and WilhelmRempel.

"They have already damned themselves to their own living hell," said Meagan Lane.

The three were found guiltyof first-degree murder on Wednesday. The court heard thebrothers kidnapped Lane, killed him and burned his body in a barrel at a gravel pit near Beiseker in February2012.

Visitation with daughterat centre of dispute

Cuthill orchestrated the murder because Lane had started fighting for visits with the daughter the former couple shared.

"In Ryan's death he has exposed these three for who they really are, thus removing them from the life of an innocent young girl who deserved her father and for that her father is a hero,"said Meagan Lane.

The courtroom was full of family members who applauded after Ryan's sister and mother read their statements.

"The piece of my heart that was meant for Ryanhas been ripped out of me and fed to the flames," said Lane's mother, Lorraine Jackson.

'I will never forgive them'

"I cry, I hurt, I am a shell of my former self," she said. "I will never forgive them for what they did to us."

All three accused were given the opportunity to speak.

Cuthill was the first to address the court.

"I'm truly sorry for the loss of Ryan," she told his family. "I see the pain in their faces."

Through his lawyer, AllanFay, TimRempelexpressed his "deepest sympathies" to Lane's family and said he "regrets any part he played in Ryan's loss."

WilhelmRempeldeclined to comment.

'Cold-hearted act'

But the apologies rang hollow for Lane's family who spoke after the hearing.

"I didn't want to hear them, I don't believe them," said Jackson.

Meagan Lane delivered a statement on behalf of her family,thankingeveryone involved in the case including prosecutors, CPS members, RCMP, search and rescue volunteers, sheriffs, court staff and jurors.

"I would like to thank especially Det. Christine Witt who has been our bulldog and fighter for four years," said Lane.

Before delivering the sentences, Justice Alan Macleodaddressed the trio.

"Ryan Lane was murdered because he wanted to get to know his daughter," said Macleod. "His killing was the most callous and cold-hearted act imaginable."

Though the sentence was predetermined,Crown prosecutor Shane Parker made briefsubmissions, capturing how timeaffected the crime, the killers and Ryan Lane's family.

Crown'scomments to the court

There is a thread that has woven through the crime; it is time. Time is the thread.
Ryan Lane was murdered because he wanted time with [his daughter]

Four minutes; Sheena Cuthill took that time to give permission and in that four minutes she had to decide life or death, no doubt to consider the consequences and ripple effect.

There was time to prepare a plan to lure and then commit the act of murder.
Time to create burn barrels and cremate a human being in the middle of the night. Time.

For a few days this week, in this courtroom there was the experience of others of waiting.
Waiting for others to decide, toact,to give life changing news.
There's the feeling of not knowing, the waiting by the phone.
For those hours the jury was out, life for many in this courtroom, was suspended.

For the Lane family and friends, that was their life but magnified.

And for the 132 days from when Ryan went missing to when his remains were found:Would he walk in the door? Was he hurt? Was he lost? Was he alive?

Now, it is time without him.
That is the crime which is captured in the verdict of 1st degree murder.