Final arguments in the Ryan Lane murder trial concluded Monday, with the prosecution suggesting “there should be no doubt” that the accused trio killed the Calgary father and also planned his death.
Sheena Cuthill, her husband Tim Rempel and his brother Will Rempel are all accused of first-degree murder and have all pleaded not guilty.
The Crown maintained that Lane was killed over custody of the child he shared with Cuthill.
The prosecution went through all the evidence, from the DNA found in Will’s truck and in a jeep belonging to Cuthill and Tim, to text messages.
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The Crown pointed to a conversation between the Rempel brothers intercepted by police in June of 2012.
It said this particular wiretap proves Will and Tim knew about evidence that police hadn’t even yet found.
Will: “Um, they found the kitchen, eh?”
Tim: “What’s that?”
Will: “They found the kitchen… there was nothing found. So anything they come up with is f***n’ hearsay… I do believe there was a couple of pieces there but as hot as it was there was no DNA, nothing to be found.”
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READ MORE: Accused killer points finger at own brother in Ryan Lane trial
It wasn’t until June that police found what’s alleged to be Lane’s remains in a burn barrel at the gravel pit near Beiseker.
Each of the defence lawyers asked the jury to find the accused not guilty of first-degree murder.
“The Crown’s case is so full of holes… you can’t help but have a reasonable doubt,” Tim’s defence lawyer, Alan Fay, told the jury.
READ MORE: ‘You knew you had murdered Ryan Lane’: Crown accuses Tim Rempel of lying in court
Meanwhile, Will’s lawyer focused on what he said was a lack of evidence.
“Who killed Ryan lane? We don’t know,” Jim Lutz said.
Cuthill’s lawyer left the alternative of manslaughter on the table but maintains she should be acquitted of first-degree murder.
“Did she counsel, encourage, incite, promote or procure the killing of Ryan Lane? I say not,” lawyer Alain Hepner told the jury.
READ MORE: Accused killer maintains she was not part of any plan to kill Ryan Lane
READ MORE: Accused murderer tells jury she meant to scare Ryan Lane; denies plot to kill
The prosecution wrapped up by saying, “Ryan Lane was lured from his home by trickery.”
The jury was told Lane was murdered and his body was burned.
“All three meant to have Ryan Lane murdered and that is what occurred,”the Crown said.
The jury will be given final instructions by the justice Tuesday morning. Deliberations are expected to begin by noon.
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