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WATCH ABOVE: The jury members in the high profile Ryan Lane murder trial were shown shocking text messages sent between the accused in the days leading up to his death. Nancy Hixt reports – Mar 24, 2016
Shocking texts between two of three co-accused were presented to the jury Thursday in the first-degree murder trial of Ryan Lane.
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Sheena Cuthill, her husband Tim Rempel, and his brother Will Rempel are charged with kidnapping and killing Lane, who disappeared early on Feb. 7, 2012, after getting a mystery call from someone asking him to meet about custody of the daughter Lane fathered with Cuthill.
One text sent by Cuthill to Tim on the evening of Nov. 18, 2011 reads:
“Can I trust Will to have this done without cops showing up on my doorstep?”
The Crown’s theory is Will and Tim Rempel lured Lane to meet them, kidnapped and killed him, then cleaned and sold the truck used in the offence. The prosecution alleges a custody dispute was the motive for the murder, as Lane had applied for visitation to his daughter in 2011.
Watch below: Global’s ongoing coverage of the Ryan Lane case
The Crown alleges the trio preplanned the murder, as they didn’t want Lane seeing the young girl.Another key text exchange presented Thursday is from the early hours of Nov. 19, 2011, when Tim wrote to Cuthill: “I will respect your decision know that but believe you’ll only have to say yes ONCE.”Cuthill replied: “You won’t have any part in this mister ur gonna behave n let ur brother deal with it…if I decide this…I mean it Tim my answer will be no right now I won’t even consider it if you have any part of it.”Tim then promised to “stay completely out of it.”On Feb. 5, 2012—two days before Lane disappeared—Cuthill sent a text to Tim asking what he was doing. He replied, “Getting things ready scoured the best spot at the pit.”The Crown alleges the message’s significance lies in the fact that Lane’s charred remains were found at an old gravel pit east of Beiseker, Alta.READ MORE: Shocking surveillance video from Airdrie car wash shown in Ryan Lane murder trialThe texts presented to the jury end with what the Crown alleges is Tim seeking permission from Cuthill to murder Lane. At 1:20 a.m. on Feb. 6, Tim wrote: “Give me the OK.” Minutes later, Sheena replied: “Okay.”The trial will resume Tuesday with the third week of evidence.