A 33-year-old Calgary man has been found guilty of second-degree murder in connection with the death of his former common-law partner Jessica Rae Newman.

The jury reached its verdict in the trial of Kevin Rubletz on Wednesday night following approximately eight hours of deliberation.

Newman was found dead in May 2015 at a location outside of Airdrie city limits. The 24-year-old woman was reported missing after disappearing following her March 10, 2015 shift at a business in Forest Lawn. Her disappearance came one day before a hearing was to be held over the custody of the son Rubletz and Newman shared.

“The Crown’s theory has always been that March 10 was the last night of Jessica’s life, likely between 9:15 and 11:00 her life ended,” said Crown prosecutor Shane Parker. “That was a key pivot point for the case in terms of establishing time of death because then it also relates to who would be responsible for her death."

Parker credits the work of police in collecting evidence and the testimony of Newman’s friends and family for really showing that ‘‘People really cared about Jessica. She had an impact on the world and when she went missing people noticed. She mattered’.

During the trial, the Crown said Newman had been stabbed 75 times while seated in the vehicle that had picked her up after work on March 10, 2015.

Rhonda Stewart, Newman’s mother, says she will struggle with the loss of her daughter forever but was relieved to hear the verdict.

“I’m glad they seen through his lies and I’m glad the Crown did a great job,” said Stewart. “I’m glad it’s coming to a close but I’m never going to be satisfied that he’ll get what he deserves.”

A second degree murder conviction carries a statutory life sentence but Rubletz’s parole ineligibility remains in question.

“We’re intending to bring two Charter arguments with respect to the delay that it took to get to this trial,” said Brendan Miller, a member of Rubletz’s council. “We’re looking to have lower parole eligibility for that and, as well, there’s been some issues with his treatment in remand including being attacked several times and stabbed.”

A date for sentencing will be determined on January 12, 2018.