A 12-person jury has found Dean Penney guilty of first-degree murder, in connection with the disappearance of his estranged wife, Jennifer Hillier-Penney, in 2016.
This brings to a close a gruelling trial, which began on April 1.
The jury heard from more than two dozen witnesses, including Penney himself — who professed his innocence throughout multiple days of testimony.
A trio of undercover police officers also testified about how they enlisted Penney to join a fake criminal enterprise, which spanned more than 60 scenarios over five years.
The so-called Mr. Big sting ended when Penney confessed — twice — to killing Hillier-Penney at the home they shared in St. Anthony.
The Crown contended Penney killed his wife in an act of planned and deliberate murder, angry that she was leaving him and jealous at the thought of her being with anyone else.
The defence argued Penney only told the supposed crime boss what he wanted to hear because Penney felt pressured and intimidated by the fake criminal organization. They insisted he made up the details in both confessions.
There was an emotional outburst in the courtroom at the reading of the verdict, with Hillier-Penney’s family sobbing and hugging. Justice Vikas Khaladkar gave them a moment to compose themselves before turning back to the jury.
One by one, the jurors repeated the same word: “guilty.” Some held back tears, while others dabbed at their eyes.
RCMP officers sitting in the courtroom high-fived and slapped each other on the back, celebrating the culmination of years of investigative work.
This is a breaking news update. More to come.
