EDMONTON - A man has been found guilty of the sex slaying of an Edmonton teenager and not guilty in the beating death of another woman.
Justice Keith Yamauchi convicted Michael Briscoe of first-degree murder in the death of 13-year-old Nina Courtepatte but acquitted him in the death of Ellie May Meyer, who was 33.
Courtepatte was lured from West Edmonton Mall to a golf course with the promise of a party and was brutally raped and beaten to death in April 2005.
While Yamauchi concluded that 41-year-old Briscoe did not directly kidnap, sexually assault or murder Courtepatte, the judge found that Briscoe assisted another man, Joseph Laboucan.
The judge said Briscoe knew of Laboucan's intentions and provided tools used in the killing.
Laboucan was earlier convicted of Courtepatte's murder and Briscoe was found not guilty. But the Supreme Court overturned Briscoe's acquittal and ordered him a new trial.
Meyer, who worked as a prostitute, was found dead by a farmer working in his field east of Edmonton a month after Courtepatte's death.
Laboucan was convicted of first-degree murder in her killing, but Yamauchi ruled there was doubt about whether Briscoe helped.
