A man charged in the fatal shooting of a 28-year-old more than six years ago has been convicted of second-degree murder.
Homicide investigators said Russell Atma Bidesi was handed the verdict in B.C. Supreme Court Friday.
The conviction is in connection with the death of Bradley McPherson, who was killed at an after-hours party at a Surrey home on Christmas Eve in 2011.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team said previously McPherson was a victim of unfortunate circumstances and had no criminal history.
His mother said she believed he was standing up to a bully who was "disrespecting" others at the party that night.
"And for that, his life was taken," she told reporters in 2013.
Bidesi was charged in April 2013, and was already in custody on a separate second-degree murder charge.
He was found not guilty in that case.
IHIT called Friday's verdict a positive outcome, saying the team believes in justice.
"What motivates our investigators are the family members left behind with their pain of loss," Cpl. Frank Jang said in a statement.
"If we can do our job and a person is held accountable for murder, we hope that provides some small measure of peace to the family."
Bidesi will be sentenced at a later date.
