After less than seven hours of deliberation, a jury has found Robert Kociuk guilty of first-degree murder in the death of 48-year-old Beverley Dyke.

"Our family has been waiting 26 years for a conclusion to this nightmare," says Chris Dyke, whose mother was the victim.

She was killed in May 1984 in a wooded area near the airport.

Police say she was sexually assaulted and then stabbed a number of times.

The case would have remained unsolved if it weren't for the advancement of DNA technology.

"I think it was 1998 when I got a call from a police officer to tell me they actually had a DNA fingerprint of the accused ….it gives you new hope," says Chris.

Shortly afterwards, police put that DNA on the national crime scene index.

Five years later, it was matched to Robert Kociuk.

He was a suspect in the original case.

He had been convicted of committing bank robberies in Ontario and was ordered to give a sample of his DNA.

It matched the semen found inside the victim in 1984 and ultimately led to his first degree murder conviction.

"It's not the verdict we obviously wanted," says defence lawyer Roberta Campbell.

She says another man should be considered guilty of the killing.

Leonard White confessed to the murder in 1988 while serving a sentence at the Prince Albert Penitentiary.

Homicide detectives at the time ruled him out because his story did not add up.

"There were issues we raised and the jury came to the conclusion that it did, and Mr. Kociuk will be dealing with his options," says Campbell.

In its closing argument, the crown argued that only one person's DNA was found on the victim, and it belonged to Robert Kociuk. He has denied ever having sex with the woman.

Beverley Dyke's children say she would never have associated with anyone capable of such violence.

According to the victim impact statement read in court: "Due to her gentle nature she would have been easily overpowered. We re-live in our minds the details and trauma of her death and it will haunt us every day of our lives."

After the trial, the Dyke family thanked the crown as well as all the detectives who worked on the case over the years.

Kociuk has spent much of his life behind bars. He's now 68-years-old and may not get out of prison until he is 93.

The Dyke family hopes the guilty verdict will give them closure and allow them to put their mother to rest, but Kociuk is considering an appeal.

- with a report from CTV's Kelly Dehn