A Montreal jury has found Randy Tshilumba guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Maxi store clerk Clemence Beaulieu-Patry.
Patry, 20, was stabbed several times as she finished a shift at a Maxi store in north-end Montreal on April 10, 2016.
The jury was given a choice of four possible verdicts: first-degree murder, second-degree murder, manslaughter, or not criminally responsible because of his mental state.
Tshilumba admitted to killing her, but his lawyers tried to argue he wasn't responsible because of mental illness.
Crown prosecutor Catherine Perreault said it's hard to know what a jury is thinking but that perhaps their evidence turned the tide.
Tshilumba had conducted Google searches on various topics such as how to cover up a murder and getting rid of evidence. He also hid out in a Tim Hortons bathroom for hours after the killing, surfing the Internet on his smart phone.
"It opened the window, I think, on the accused, his demeanour, everything he thought during that time," Perreault told reporters.
The jury of seven men and five women took three days to reach their verdict after a trial that lasted over five weeks.
Tshilumba, 21, is automatically sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years.
Beaulieu-Patry's parents said they were greatly relieved.
"Now we can continue grieving," said Nathalie Beaulieu.
Beaulieu-Patry's parents said they will never forgive Tshilumba, not even mentioning his name since his arrest.
"It would give him too much importance," said Nathalie Beaulieu.