Perreault guilty in online meeting murder

Quebec City resident Alain Perreault has been found guilty of first-degree murder in the 2003 death of Lyne Massicotte, a woman he met online.

The 12-member jury took three days to reach their verdict, rendered Friday morning at the Quebec City courthouse.

Perreault, 48, faces asentence of life in prison with no chance of parole for at least 25 years.

Massicotte disappeared after travelling to Quebec City to meet Perreault on July 17, 2003.

Perreault testifiedthat Massicotte left his apartment at 6 p.m. the night she disappeared, and he never saw her again.

But his testimony contradictedan apparent video confessionthat showed Perreault admitting to an undercover police officer that hemurdered Massicotte

The officer was posingas the boss of a criminal organization that Perreault had joined.

The jury decided they didn't believe Perreault's testimony.

Massicotte's family said it is relieved to finally have closure.

"It's a part of our lives finallycoming toa conclusion," said Massicotte's daughter Catherine Doucet. "I think we all reacted in the same way, we wanted to jump in joy."

Crown prosecutorLyne Morais said the family has waiteda long time for this decision.

"I'm very satisfied, and I'm very happy for the family, they've been waiting for this moment for 7 years. And after speaking to them after the verdict, I know that they are turning the page," said Morais.

The defence did not comment on the Friday verdict, but prosecutors andthe victim's familysaid they were expecting the defence to appeal.