Man guilty of murder in deaths of Calgary grandparents, grandson

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CALGARY, AB. (NEWS 1130) – A jury in Calgary has found 57-year old Douglas Garland guilty on three counts of first-degree murder.

He was charged after Alvin and Kathy Liknes and their five year-old grandson Nathan O’Brien disappeared from the Liknes home in late June, 2014. Their bodies have never been found, however, bone fragments were discovered on the property.

The jury began deliberations late yesterday after a four-week trial that often included gruesome evidence and the victims’ family wept openly as the verdict was read.

Justice David Gates had advised the jury to use “common sense” and to be sure of Garland’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt if they wished to convict him.

The couple and the boy disappeared after an estate sale at the Liknes home, where Nathan had stayed on a sleepover.

The Crown argued there was enough evidence to show Garland attacked the three in the home before taking them to his farm where he killed them, but the defence said there was no DNA evidence to prove he was ever in the house.

Garland is automatically sentenced to life behind bars, however, another hearing will be held to determine when he may apply for parole.

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