Cory Eide guilty of vicious attack on elderly Calgary woman

Cory Eide swore as a sheriff took him into custody after he was found guilty of brutally attacking a 71-year-old Calgary woman. 

Justice Willie deWit found Eide's testimony "outlandish and implausible" and convicted him Tuesday of aggravated assault, unlawful confinement, and breaking and entering.

Immediately after Eide was found guilty, deWit revoked his bail following a request by prosecutor Adam May.

"We finally can breathe," said Ada Coolidge, the daughter of the victims. "Big sigh of relief."

Nicoletta and Guiseppe Memme — both in their 70s — lived in the community of Thorncliffe with their daughter next door and their son across the street.  

Nicoletta punched in face

In December 2015, Eide and another man — who has never been charged — broke into the Memmes' home and savagely attacked Nicoletta. 

During the trial, Nicoletta testified she was punched in the face several times. 

The couple was taken to their basement and duct taped to chairs while the robbers threatened the Memmes' children, who both lived on the same street. 

In the basement, the two intruders demanded money before discovering Nicoletta's jewelry box, where she kept her valuables, including her wedding ring.

Nicoletta was hospitalized for weeks, suffering from a concussion and needing facial reconstructive surgery to repair a shattered eye socket. Her latest surgery was just last week.

Eide testimony not believable

At the time, Eide was dating the Memmes' former daughter-in-law, who had once been married to the couple's son.

During the trial, Eide denied any participation in the attack. But deWit found Eide's testimony "impossible to accept." 

Eide's DNA was found on a glove left at the scene and the victims were the former in-laws of his girlfriend. 

DeWit heard evidence that the robbers knew personal details about the Memmes including that they're Italian and the names of their children. 

"That by chance a person with this knowledge would randomly find latex gloves discarded by [Eide] and then commit a robbery on a residence related to the accused's girlfriend defies the bounds of credulity," said deWit. 

"To conclude that the accused was the victim of a number unhappy coincidences is not a rational conclusion."

Defence lawyer Robert Wachowich requested a pre-sentence report be prepared on his client before a sentencing hearing take place. 

Eide testified he has a 14-year criminal history including convictions for drug trafficking, criminal harassment and weapons offences.

May said the starting point for a sentence on Eide's convictions will be eight years in prison.