The family of a man murdered by his stepchildren reacted Thursday to their guilty verdicts.
Brae Hansen was found guilty of first degree murder in the 2007 case involving her stepfather, Rolando resident Timothy MacNeil. Jurors found Nathaniel Gann guilty Wednesday of first-degree murder. The siblings could both be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Family members walked out of court Thursday, some sobbing, with one person saying, "There's justice. There justice."
"I feel really sorry for Nathan and Brae," MacNeil's brother Richard said after the Hansen verdict was read. "They're going to go through hell for the rest of their lives and then they're going to hell."
"I don't ever have to look into her cold miserable eyes ever again," Richard's wife, Bonnie.
Bonnie said it was time for Tim's family to heal.
"I think justice has finally come," Bonnie said. "It's been long, it's been horrific, but we will heal, and we will move on, and we will remember the victim is Tim, and I don't believe the victim is Nathan or Brae, and I don't feel sorry for them.
Some of the jurors spoke to the media after the verdicts, including Mike Rook.
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"She methodically laid out a plan," Rook said, adding that the case was extremely emotional for him. "I cried every day, but it was absolutely the right thing to do."
The jurors deciding Hansen's fate reached their verdict last week, but it was not read until Thursday morning because a second jury was weighing the case against Gann was still deliberating. Unlike her brother, Hansen was also found guilty of a special circumstance allegation of lying in wait.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Hansen on June 22.
Hansen broke down in tears as the verdict was read, sobbing uncontrollably throughout the proceedings. She also wept last week during closing arguments. Prosecutors told the jury the tears came to late.
MacNeil, a criminal defense attorney, was shot and killed in his home in July 2007. MacNeil was tied up and shot to death by Gann during what was a staged robbery, prosecutors believe.
MacNeil's family spoke to the media after the verdict was read on Wednesday, saying they were glad they could get justice. They said they hoped Gann "rots in hell."
Prosecutors allege Gann killed MacNeil with the help of his sister, Hansen, 19. She was 18 at the time. The first trial of Gann, 20, ended in a mistrial.
Prosecutors believe Hansen was mad at MacNeil and that she and her brother allegedly tried to make the slaying look like a phony home invasion robbery.
Hansen confessed to planning the murder with Gann, according to police. Defense attorneys, however, maintain that her rights were violated.
Even Hansen's defense attorneys aren't arguing Hansen didn't plan the attack. "Brae Hansen made a horrible mistake," said defense attorney Troy Britt.
Gann was being tried in the case for the second time. His first trial ended in a hung jury. In this trial, his lawyer argued that Gann had no motive. In his first trial, jurors were stuck at seven in favor of a guilty verdict and five casting not guilty votes. The judge polled jurors and declared a mistrial.
Hansen and Gann were tried at the same time, with two juries seated in the case. There was a blue jury for Hansen and a red jury for Gann. Jurors returned a verdict in the Hansen case on Friday, but Judge Frederic Link decided to seal that verdict until the Gann jury concluded its deliberations.
