However, he adamantly denies shooting Whicker and said he was not even in Woods Cross or with the other two defendants, Elliott Rashad Harper and Todd Jeremy Rettenberger, when the crime occurred.

Valken-Leduc said he was in the Rose Park area the night of Oct. 29, 1996, walked through a McDonald's drive-through, crossed a 7-Eleven parking lot and chatted with an acquaintance there, then went home to the rented place where he lived.

Rettenberger testified against Valken-Leduc at trial, but Valken-Leduc said the two of them were not in touch at the time of the killing. "We weren't even friends or around each other at that time whatsoever. We had a falling out a few weeks before that."

He said he was surprised by the jury verdict. "I was definitely naive to believe it would it would turn out in my favor. I just thought justice was going to be done," he said.

Valken-Leduc termed prison life "difficult" but said that despite the hardships, he has learned a great deal from this experience.

"My religious faith is a lot stronger than it ever was," Valken-Leduc said. "I've learned to forgive people and move on. I've definitely gotten stronger all around — emotionally, spiritually, physically. I'm a better person than I was."

He attended Baptist worship services and Catholic Mass in prison. "I'm studying both of them and will figure out which one is right for me."

Prison also did not make him bitter.

He is grateful for the friends who stuck by him throughout the trial and years behind bars, and who are offering help and advice now. "I have people who have been here since high school supporting me."

Perhaps his greatest dream is to lead a normal life.

"I'm ready to settle down," he said. "I'm ready to find the right woman and get married and have kids and have a job and settle down and have a new life."

He speaks with particular admiration of his late mother, Doris, who died between the time of his conviction and sentencing. "That was definitely the most difficult thing I've ever gone through."

Things have been hard in the past, but Valken-Leduc said he expects the future will be filled positive changes.

"I will prove my naysayers wrong, and people are going to be surprised at how I turn my life around."

E-MAIL: lindat@desnews.com