Ryan Lane murder trial over custody dispute between parents: Crown

Right before Ryan Lane was murdered over an alleged custody battle for his child, his father begged him not to meet up with a mystery caller, a Calgary court has heard.

The mother of Lane's child,Sheena Cuthill, is on trial for first-degree murder, along with herhusband Tim Rempel and his brother, Wilhelm, whoare also on trial facing the same charge.

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Ryan Lane's father,Bruce,is the first witness to testify at their trial.

Themysterycaller told Ryan who lived with his fatherto come alone to a parking lot just before midnight on Feb. 6, 2012 to sign papers that would allow him more access to his daughter.

It was just hours after Ryan had his first visit with the girl in two years andhewas the happiest he had seen him intwo years, BruceLane testified.

Grabbing Ryan by hisshoulders, his dad begged him not to meet up with whoever had told his son a "bullshit story about access."

"Somebody's jacking with you," Bruce Lane testified he told his son. "That's when I started freaking out."

Bruce told the jury his son said: "What's he going to do, stab me or something?"

"And I said: 'You don't know.'"

So excited to see more of his daughter, Ryan Lane insisted on leaving.His father followed in another car. He watched Ryan get into a red truck that drove away with his son inside.

'Joyous and tragic' day

Recovered text messages will show that planning to kill Lane was in the works for weeks, if not months, according to the prosecution opening statement to the jury.

Feb. 6, 2012 was "joyous and ultimately tragic" for Lane,prosecutor TomBuglastold the jury, as Lane visited with the girl for the first time in two yearsat a Chuck-E-Cheese.

"Ryan Lane was purposefully murdered to keep him from seeing his daughter," he said, noting that Lanewas fightingCuthill'scourt application for sole custody.

That same day,Buglastold the jury text messages will show that Tim Rempel sought permission fromCuthillto kill Lane.

TheRempelbrothers called Lane before midnight, and lured him to a parking lot, according toBuglas.When he got in the red truck,Wilhelmdrove away with Tim following in his red Jeep.

DNA from Lane was found in both vehicles, according to the prosecution, though in their first interview with police, the brothers both denied ever having met Lane.

Body burned beyond recognition

For nine months, police searched for Lane. In November2012, what is believed to be his remains were found in a burn barrel in a remote rural area nearBeiseker.

The remains were so "completely" burned they can only be identified as a "young adult human" but Lane's class ring and a piece of his cell phone were found in the barrel.

Text messages betweenCuthilland others will show that as early as November2011 the date of the first family court hearing there was discussion of killing Lane, saidBuglas.

Cell phone records, video surveillance, recorded phone calls, DNA and recovered text messages will all make up the Crown's evidence against the trio.

In one wiretapped phone call,Wilhelmtells his mother details of their interaction with Lane that night,Buglastold the jury.

Lane waslast seenon the morning of Feb. 7, 2012,near Country Hills Boulevard.

Cuthillwasarrested in November 2012 and charged, along withthe Rempel brothers.

The trial is set for six weeks, but isn't expected to take the full amount of time.

Senior defence lawyers Alain Hepner, Allan Fay and Jim Lutz represent Cuthill, Tim Rempeland Wilhelm Rempel, respectively.