The former couple each met with McKay for an hour in January 2012 and then the three had a session together at the end of the month to negotiate child support and visitation rights.

"[Lane] very much wanted to establish that relationship," said McKay. "He expressed many times how much he missed the child."

After their first session, Cuthill agreed to suspend the child support order until they worked out visitation rights.

(Submitted by Ryan Lane's family)

Under cross examination, McKay told the jury that Cuthill had been a willing participant in the process.

"It went well, there was no hostility," said McKay. "They made some progress."

'Just wanted regular access'

But lane appeared depressed to McKay.
'The extent that he was sad was uncommon to me' - Joanne McKay, Alberta Justice mediator
"Ryan was very sad, but he was engaged in the process and committed to reestablishing that relationship," said McKay. "The extent that he was sad was uncommon to me."

It was agreed Cuthill would have custody of the girl.

"Ryan was not interested in custody as such," said McKay. "He just wanted regular access to his child."

It's alleged the Rempel brothers called Lane before midnight, and lured him to a parking lot. He got in Wilhelm's truck and was driven away, Tim following in his red Jeep, according to the prosecution.

DNA from Lane was found in both vehicles, said the Crown, though in their first interview with police, the brothers both denied ever having met Lane.

A burn barrel was found several months after Lane's disappearance with human remains in it, as well as Lane's class ring and pieces of his cell phone.

Truck sold for $128

Despite Wilhelm Rempel being offered a lot more, he insisted on selling it to a scrap yard.

Andrew Knox, who worked at the Rainbow Salvage Yard, testified Friday that he tried to buy the truck for nearly four times the scrap value.

Rempel was instead paid $128 for the truck, and turned down Knox's offer of $500.

In its opening address to the jury, Crown prosecutor Tom Buglas said the truck had Ryan Lane's DNA inside.

Rempel brought the truck into Rainbow Salvage on Feb. 8, 2012, the day after he was seen on video surveillance washing the inside and outside of the vehicle at a local car wash.

Knox said Rempel went on about problems with the truck despite it appearing to be in good shape.

"It seemed to be running pretty fine."

Knox said he spoke to the owners of Rainbow about buying the truck but it never happened.

"The bosses thought it was a mechanically sound truck and wanted to keep it for themselves."

The trial resumes on Monday.