Ryan Lane murder trial hears accused killer admit to building burn barrel

Cutting questions from the Crown suggested to accused killer Tim Rempel that he is a murderer and a liar.

Though Rempel admitted to lying to police and his family, he once again denied killing Ryan Lane.

For the last two days, Rempel testified in his own defence and on Wednesday afternoon, he was under cross-examination by prosecutor Tom Buglas.

Rempel admitted to building the burn barrel that contained human remains believed to be Lane's, along with his class ring and pieces of his cell phone.

But he said the barrelwent missingfrom his shed before Lane's disappearance.

It was also pointed out that a cigarette butt that was the same brand as the type smoked by Rempel was found near the burn barrel, at the gravel pit near Beiseker where both he and his brother Wilhelm Rempel used to work.

"Human remains consistent with Ryan's were found ... in a burn barrel that you built?" asked Buglas.

"Yes," said Rempel.

"At a gravel pit you used to work at?"

"Yes," said Rempel.

'The reason why you took him out was to kill him?'

On Tuesday, Rempel testified that he called Lane from a payphone on the night of Feb. 6, 2012 and convinced him to meet in a parking lot where Lane then got in Wilhelm Rempel's truck and was driven to a rural location.

Rempel said he simply wanted to talk to Lane and suggest to him that he "step up or step out" of his daughter's life. Lane and Sheena Cuthill, who is also charged in the murder,shared a child and Lane had just begun fighting for visitation rights.

Lane became emotional according to Rempel's testimony and shoved him so Rempel says he hit him in the face but then left Lane on the side of the rural gravel road.

"The reason why you took [Lane] out was to kill him," Buglas suggested.

"That's not correct, no," said Rempel.

About 15 seconds after Rempel drove away from Lane, leaving him on the side of the road, he said he saw his brother do the same.

Buglas also asked about Rempel's encounter with homicide detectives on Feb. 9, 2012, three days after Lane disappeared.

Rempel admitted that he lied to police and said he never met Lane.

"Were you not concerned that Ryan might be disoriented, hurt, in a ditch, saveable?" asked Buglas.

"I did not feel that what I had done endangered him," Rempel responded.

"You will lie to protect your family, won't you?" asked Buglas.

"I did at the time," said Rempel.

"You will lie to the police?" asked Buglas.

"I did at the time," said Rempel.

"And you will lie to us here today won't you? asked Buglas.

"No I won't." said Rempel.

The jury has been excused until Monday when final arguments will take place.

Justice Alan Macleod told jurors they would likely be sequestered to begin deliberations on Tuesday afternoon.

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