Ontario's attorney general said he doesn't believe a public inquiry is warranted in the case of the Robert Baltovich murder trial but the Liberals will consider the idea.

Speaking to reporters at Queen's Park Wednesday, Chris Bentley said the trial into the murder of Elizabeth Bain went through the normal process.

"This was not the type of case which would justify or warrant an inquiry," he said. "This was a case that, in fact, followed the trial process and resulted in a finding of not guilty at the end of it."

Baltovich was acquitted Tuesday morning after the Crown announced it would not be proceeding with its case against him.

It was the second time the 42-year-old librarian was to be tried for murdering his girlfriend. The first time, he was found guilty and spent eight years in jail before an appeals court overturned the decision and ordered a new trial.

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty said he is sympathetic to both Baltovich and the Bain family but said that he would consult with the attorney general to see what steps the government should take.

"Well it's a troubling story obviously," he told reporters gathered at Queen's Park. "Reacting as a human being we've got to ask ourselves how things could have gone wrong and what we need to do ensure it doesn't happen again. But I'm going to listen to the attorney general and consult him on this and get his best advice."

Baltovich supports inquiry

Baltovich has said he's just happy with the outcome of the ordeal, which he called an "18-year nightmare."

While he hasn't thought about asking for compensation, Baltovich said he would support a public inquiry and certainly welcome an apology. He said he wants to know why police zeroed in on him as a suspect when there were others to consider, namely convicted sex predator and murderer Paul Bernardo.

"Why did I even become a suspect? I don't see any reason why I should have been," he told CTV's Canada AM on Wednesday. "I think (an apology) would be one step in the right direction but I don't really see it happening at this point."

Baltovich's lawyer says there is significant circumstantial evidence to link the killing to Bernardo, who was known at the time as the Scarborough Rapist.

"There are a lot of coincidences if it wasn't him," James Lockyer told Canada AM on Wednesday. "This is right in the middle of his hunting grounds."

Bernardo's last known attack in the area was just weeks before Bain's disappearance, said Lockyer.

Meanwhile, police say they have no plans to reopen the Bain case, despite the court's finding.

Looking forward

At this point, said Baltovich, he's just going to concentrate on his freedom.

"I can wake up tomorrow... knowing I don't have to go to court and I don't have to deal with these accusations anymore," he said.

"As far as compensation goes, I know it's a clich� but I haven't even thought about it. For anyone who's been through an experience like this, you're just glad it's over," he said.

Baltovich has always maintained he had nothing to do with Bain's disappearance. The Globe and Mail reported Wednesday that he continued to deny involvement in Bain's murder even when the Crown secretly offered him a deal that would see him serve only one day in jail if he would reveal the location of Bain's body.

Bain's body has never been found. The 22-year-old University of Toronto student was last seen in 1990 when she told her mother she was on her way to the Scarborough campus.

Bain's mother said Tuesday that she remains convinced Baltovich is guilty.

Baltovich said he never lost hope that he would be acquitted, despite fighting for nearly two decades to clear his name.

"I always thought it was going to come, I just didn't think it was going to take 18 years," said Baltovich. "An unbelievable weight has been lifted off (my) shoulders."

Baltovich said he celebrated his acquittal with a small "celebration of relief." He is currently living in Peterborough, where he works as a librarian and acts as a caregiver for his ailing father.

With a report from CTV Toronto's Paul Bliss and files from The Canadian Press