Eric Daudelin found guilty in 1995 murder of Joleil Campeau

Nearly 20 years after she was killed while on her way to a friend’s house, a man has been convicted of murdering nine-year-old Joleil Campeau.

Eric Daudelin was found guilty of first-degree murder, sexual assault and illegal confinement Thursday at the Laval courthouse.

On a late spring day in 1995, Joleil set out to walk a friend’s house in Laval’s Auteuil district, where she lived.

She left her home and was never seen alive again.

After she disappeared, 400 volunteers combed the area around her house looking for the girl.

One of the volunteers found Joleil’s black belt near a swamp.

The water was pumped out, and Joleil’s body was found at the bottom. She was fully clothed and her body was weighed down by rocks.

Donna Senecal, Joleil’s mother, told reporters at the courthouse she was grateful for the support of family, friends and police officers over the years.

"I’m satisfied with the verdict," she said.

Daudelin, who was 21 at the time of the murder, was a prime suspect because he had lived in the neighbourhood and has a string of prior sexual assault convictions.

Traces of sperm were found on the girl’s underwear, but at the time DNA testing wasn’t advanced enough to match it to a specific suspect.

The case was reopened in 2009 and scientists were able to match the sperm to Daudelin.

Daudelin admitted to the crime to undercover investigators during a police sting operation .

However, the defence claimed he lied on the video and that police planted the DNA evidence.

Daudelin has maintained his innocence since he was arrested in 2011.

The jury was in its third day of deliberations when it reached the verdict.