Ryan Lane murder trial shown video of truck being washed day after slaying - Action News
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Ryan Lane murder trial shown video of truck being washed day after slaying

The jury hearing a murder case against three people accused of killing Ryan Lane was shown a video on Thursday of what a police witness says is one of the culprits thoroughly washing a truck used hours earlier in the slaying.

Crown alleges red pickup had been used in plot to lure man to his killing

Wilhelm Rempel, Sheena Cuthill and Tim Rempel are all accused of murdering Ryan Lane because he wanted visitation rights with the daughter he and Cuthill shared. (CBC/Global)

The jury hearing a murder case against three people accused of killing Ryan Lane was shown a video on Thursday of what police sayis one of the culprits thoroughly washing a truck used hours earlier in the slaying.

The Crown is trying to prove that Lane's ex-partner Sheena Cuthill,her husband Tim Rempel and his brother, Wilhelm, conspired to kill him in 2012.

Lane andCuthillwere in acustody dispute over their daughter.She had applied for sole guardianship in October 2011.

Lane disappeared in February that year. His remains were not found until nine months later in a barrel near Beiseker, 70 kilometres northeast of Calgary,burned almost beyond recognition.

Court was shown video of a man washing a red pickup truck on Feb. 3 and again on Feb. 7.

This video was taken on Feb. 7, one day after Ryan Lane was lured to a parking lot in northwest Calgary. (Court evidence)

Homicide Det. Kurt Jacobs, who tracked down the security footage about one week into the investigation, told court the truck appeared to be the one police were looking for in connection with Lane's disappearance.

The Crown alleges the Rempel brothers lured Lane to a parking lot in northwest Calgary on the night of Feb. 6, 2012, in order to murder him.

On Wednesday, Court was shown video from the security cameras at an Esso gas station at 6510 Country Hills Blvd. N.W.

It shows a red truck entering the parking lot that night, followed by a Jeep.

Earlier this week, court heard that Lane's father Bruce Lane concerned for his son's safety had followed the young man and watched Ryan get into a red truck that drove away with his son.

Ryan Lane disappeared in February 2012 and his remains were found nine months later in a barrel near Beiseker, burned almost beyond recognition. (Submitted by Ryan Lane's family)

Washed inside and under truck

Det.Jacobs identified one of the men washing a red truck the next day as Wilhelm Rempel, pointing him out in the courtroom.

He testified that he was able to identify the man because of his appearance, his glasses, a limpand from a close-up video of the man inside the store of the carwash.

He said what stood out for him was that, in the second video, the man opened the doors of the truck and washed its interior.

"I've never seen someone enter the interior and spray the interior ofthe vehicle before," he said.

The man also made a point of washing all the debris from under the truck down the main drain, Jacobs testified.

This car wash video, also from Feb. 3, was shown to the jury in the Ryan Lane murder trial. (Court evidence)

Under cross-examination by defense counsel, Jacobs admitted the facial features of the man in the video are unrecognizable and that the video does not show the truck's license plates.

Jacobs said investigators obtained the video from the carwash after he discovered a receipt from the business while searching Rempel's home in Airdrie. Rempel lived in a basement suite at his parent's house.

Court also heard the Crown has obtained a receipt showing Rempel sold the truck which was registered in his parents' names to a salvage yard on Feb. 8, a day after Lane disappeared.

This video from Feb. 3 was played for the jury in the Ryan Lane murder trial. (Court evidence)

With files from Colleen Underwood