Jurors found Nicola Puddicombe guilty of first-degree murder in the death of her boyfriend Dennis Hoy, whom she had been with for 11 years.

The verdict came in shortly before 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. The jury began its deliberations on Tuesday afternoon. Puddicombe showed no emotion whatsover.

"Not only did you cut (Mr. Hoy's) life short, you lulled him into a sense of security and gave him a back rub so he was asleep when he was murdered," said Justice Mary Lou Benotto.

First-degree murder carries an automatic sentence of life in prison without possibility of parole for 25 years.

The parents of Dennis Hoy made their victim impact statements, saying how much they've suffered but also thanking the jury. They shed tears of relief and hugged, but didn't wish to speak with reporters.

"Dennis was their only son, and their world revolved around him," said Det. Renata Louhikari of the Toronto Police homicide unit. "And to have him not just leave their life, but leave their life in the manner that he did, was far more than they could deal with."

Puddicombe, 36, is considered to be the mastermind of the killing. The Crown and defence both agreed the person who wielded the axe that left Hoy dead in his bed was Ashleigh Pechaluk, 25. However, Puddicombe could be convicted if the jury found her to be a party to the murder.

The two women had met working at an east-end Loblaw and fell in love. Eventually, a plot emerged to kill Hoy.

That plot came to fruition on Oct. 27, 2006. Someone repeatedly hit Hoy in the head with an axe as he slept in the bed of Puddicombe's Queensway apartment. Pechaluk was arrested at the scene.

However, a jury acquitted her at a trial in June. That jury never heard a videotaped confession Pechaluk made to police investigators. It was ruled inadmissible because her right to a lawyer had been violated.

Pechaluk, who had repeatedly denied killing Hoy, said during Puddicombe's trial she confessed to protect her lover.

At her trial, she had denied killing Hoy.

Puddicombe did not testify in her own defence, which is her right. The burden of proof lies on the Crown.

She also conducted a videotaped interview with police, but her right to counsel was also deemed to be violated. In the interview, Puddicombe proclaimed her innocence and said her Catholic beliefs prevented her from committing murder.

Pechaluk said on the night of the murder, Puddicombe demanded she attack Hoy. When she awoke a few hours later, Puddicombe told her Hoy was dead, she said.

Puddicombe was the beneficiary of Hoy's $250,000 life insurance policy. Hoy worked for GO Transit as a special constable.

Grenville Puddicombe, Nicola's uncle, told reporters he was very close to his niece and also knew Dennis very well. "My niece would never do this to Dennis, never," he said.

With a report from CTV Toronto's Michelle Dube