DURANGO, Colo. — A jury on Friday afternoon found Mark Redwine guilty of second-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death for the 2012 disappearance of his 13-year-old son, Dylan Redwine.
"Mark is going to be penalized for what he did to my son and he knows as well as us that he was the one who took Dylan's life," Dylan's mother Elaine Hall said after the verdict.
Dylan Redwine was last seen alive the night of Nov. 18, 2012. He had been in Vallecito for a court-ordered visit with his father. Prosecutors said the two had a fraught relationship after the boy discovered lewd photos of Mark Redwine, and Dylan Redwine’s mom and friends testified that he was not looking forward to the visit with his father.
Mark Redwine was indicted for the boy’s murder in 2017, and his trial has been delayed multiple times due to everything from the arrest of his attorney to the COVID-19 pandemic. He showed almost no reaction when the first guilty verdict was read and then closed his eyes when the second guilty verdict was announced.
"The right person was held accountable," said Cory Redwine, Dylan's older brother, and Mark's son. "It was a relief for all of our family that the hard work paid off with a guilty verdict. When all the past nine years get boiled down into that last 30 minutes it definitely has a strong effect inside the courtroom."
>> WATCH BELOW: Here are statements from Dylan Redwine's mom and brother after the trial verdict
The case brought national attention to the southwestern Colorado town of Vallecito when Dylan Redwine was first reported missing, and multiple family members appeared on “The Dr. Phil Show” in 2013.
Attorneys delivered opening statements on June 21, and testimony ended on July 14. Dozens of people took the witness stand including members of the search and rescue team who first looked for Dylan Redwine, animal behavioral experts who testified about bear hibernation and DNA analysts.
"This entire process has been surreal," Hall said. "From the moment Dylan went missing until we found his remains, we've lived in this world of not knowing what happened to my son.
"I think the prosecution did a wonderful job of laying out what happened to my son in the last hours of his life. It was pretty clear the right verdict was given today."
Prosecutors showed Dylan Redwine’s phone and iPod records. His communication ended at 9:37 p.m., on Nov. 18, 2012 and his devices and backpack have not been recovered to this day.
Mark Redwine reported his son missing on Nov. 19, 2012, after he returned home from work. A search of the surrounding area didn’t yield any results until June 2013, when a team found Dylan Redwine’s partial remains on Middle Mountain.
His skull wouldn’t be found until November 2015. A prosecution witness testified there was a fracture that happened around the time of Dylan Redwine’s death as well as sharp force injuries, but a defense expert argued it’s hard to deduce exactly when these injuries occurred.
The prosecution argued that Mark Redwine killed his son during a confrontation over the compromising photographs.
"I hope this case helps people deal with the anger and frustration in different ways," Hall said. "This never should have happened to my son."
>> WATCH BELOW: Full verdict
The defense has argued the boy wandered off on his own and possibly succumbed to the elements or a wild animal, a theory the jury ultimately rejected with their guilty verdict.
That verdict brought an end to any relationship between Cory Redwine and his father.
"I would rather be here to see him under different circumstances," he said. "He's where he belongs. He's Dylan's murderer, and that's what he'll be remembered and how he'll have to live the rest of his life. May God have sympathy for him, but as far as me, he's no longer a part of my thoughts."
Both Cory Redwine and his mother said they're hopeful they finally move on and remember Dylan's life instead of focusing on his death as they have been for nearly nine years.
"I'll remember Dylan for what he was when he was alive," Cory Redwine said. "How bright and how powerful he was as a young child. These nine years have been focused on his death, and it's a complete misrepresentation of who Dylan really was."
"There's so many emotions right now," Hall said. "I've cried. I've been mad, right now I'm just ready to start remembering Dylan and his story rather than the gruesome details of his death."
Sentencing for Mark Redwine is set for Friday, Oct. 8 at 9 a.m. He will be held without bond until then.
He faces up to 48 years for the second-degree murder conviction and up to 24 years for child abuse resulting in a death conviction.
> 9NEWS has provided daily digital coverage of the Mark Redwine trial. For the latest updates, head to www.9news.com/dylanredwine.
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