An Edmonton judge found Thomas Svekla guilty of murdering Theresa Innes, saying his explanation of finding her wrapped body in his truck is 'fanciful' and 'ridiculous', but found him not guilty in the murder of Rachel Quinney.

Justice Sterling Sanderman of Edmonton Court of Queen's Bench found the 40-year-old mechanic guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Innes, a prostitute found dead in a hockey bag in his sister's High Level home in May 2006.

"I'm convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Svekla killed Ms. Innes," he said.

Donna Parkinson, Svekla's sister, testified she found Innes' body after not believing her brother's story of what was in the hockey bag.

While on the stand, Parkinson said she worked up the courage to look in the bag after she touched what felt like an elbow.

Svekla admitted to finding the prostitute's body and moving it, but said he played no role in her actual death.

"I reject Mr. Svekla's explanation," Sanderman said. "It's fanciful, it's ridiculous ... it was contrived by him to get him out of a tight jam."

The ruling stunned the family members of the slain women. Friends and relatives of Innes wept and hugged each other as the judge handed down his guilty verdict.

Sanderman blasted Svekla for lying about discovering Innes' body and concocting a far-fetched tale about transporting 800 compost worms for a friend.

"Mr. Svekla reminds me of the little Dutch boy," he said. "He tells another lie to plug the holes in his story."

Defence lawyer Robert Shaigec previously argued the case presented no forensic evidence, no confession and a series of questionable witnesses who presented a series of different stories when questioned.

Sanderman largely agreed with the defence in the death of Rachel Quinney, saying he had no grounds to convict Svekla in the murder of the young street worker.

"The crown has failed to establish any link between Mr. Svekla and Mr. Quinney other than his discovery of her body," he said.

In June 2004, Svekla discovered the mutilated body of 19-year-old Quinney in a wooded area near Sherwood Park.

The court heard he was smoking crack cocaine with another prostitute when he stumbled upon the body.

The Quinney acquittal left many of her family members visibly shaken.

Quinney's mother had to be supported on both sides by her family as she left the court.

The victim's sister in law, Charlotte Lajimodiere, said her family was disappointed by the decision.

"Edmonton, lock up all your vulnerable women because he just let a piece of s**t walk for Rachel Quinney," she said outside of the courtroom.

Throughout the six-month trial, lead prosecutor Ashley Finlayson took the court through more than 100 witnesses who either had a connection to Svekla or one of his alleged victims.

Finlayson credited Svekla's sister for the final decision that will put him behind bars.

"We should keep in mind that Donna Parkinson could be a hero in this case, it was Miss Parkinson who made that phone call," he said.

The defence presented no evidence or witnesses of their own during the trial, opting only to make closing arguments in May.

Friends and relatives of Quinney and Innes held a sweet grass ceremony outside of the courthouse Tuesday to remember the two women who disappeared more than three years ago.

"It's hard times for this family and for the people involved," said an unidentified man who was leading the ceremony. "I ask and pray, Creator, that the next best step happens. That there be some closure for this family. That some justice is served today."

This is the first case for Alberta's Project Kare, a police organization investigating the deaths and disappearances of people living high-risk lifestyles.

Svekla first became a man of interest for Project Kare after he told police he found Quinney's body in 2004.