Hurley Found Not Guilty Of Killing Naistus

Hurley Found Not Guilty Of Killing Naistus

Tuesday, February 01, 2011 at 15:22

 

 

An Alberta man has been found not guilty of murdering an Onion Lake woman.

 

An 11-member jury gave that unanimous verdict this morning after deliberating for about four-and-a-half hours over two days.

 

Trucker Gordon Dwight Hurley was on trial for second-degree murder in the death of 20-year-old Jarita Naistus.

 

Her body was found in a Lloydminster motel room on October 2nd, 2005.

 

This is Hurley’s second trial for the murder.

 

He was found guilty in 2007, but that verdict was overturned and a new trial was ordered.

 

When today’s verdict was announced in Battleford Court of Queen’s Bench, several of Naistus’ family members rushed out of the courtroom sobbing.

 

Ruth Checkosis, Naistus’ aunt, says her family is left wondering who killed her niece — adding “we’ll never know”.

 

Checkosis also says there was one big gap in this trial –- no evidence regarding Hurley’s background and whether he had a history of violence.

 

Hurley delivered a short statement, telling reporters his nightmare is over and the Naistus family’s nightmare “is just beginning”.

 

Defence lawyer Morris Bodnar says the jury rendered the right verdict.

 

Crown counsel Scott Bartlett says he will now write a report to senior justice officials and they will decide if an appeal is warranted.