Crown prosecutors say they are satisfied a jury has found Robert Pickton guilty on six counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of women from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, calling the verdict a "validation" of their case.

"I think it's a very good result," lead Crown lawyer Michael Petrie told a press conference Sunday. "Mr. Pickton was convicted of six counts of murder."

Some family members of the victims were angered that Pickton was not found guilty of first-degree murder, which would have implied an element of planning and deliberation in the women's deaths.

Crown spokesperson Stan Lowe said the seven-lawyer team was content with the verdict.

"We view today's verdict as a validation -- a confirmation of our assessment of the evidence in this case," he said.

Family members of the victims gathered outside the courthouse for a solemn ceremony after the verdict, some struggling to hold back tears. They formed a circle and held candles representing the women they had lost.

Pickton, 58, had been charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Sereena Abotsway, Mona Wilson, Andrea Joesbury, Georgina Papin, Brenda Wolfe and Marnie Frey.

Some family members were shocked when the verdict was first read out, moaning when they heard the words "not guilty of first-degree."

"I actually lost my heart -- it was in my stomach. I thought, 'I don't know if I can sit here,' I was gasping for air, thinking he was going to get off," said Lynn Frey, the stepmother of Marnie Frey.

"Then when they read it over again, I realized he was getting all the charges (of second-degree murder). I prayed, and sure enough he got it."

The difference in the two types of convictions:

• The sentence for first-degree murder is life in prison with no parole eligibility for 25 years.
• Someone convicted of second-degree murder will also be sentenced to life in prison, but could have their minimum parole eligibility date set to anything between 10 and 25 years.

"(Jurors) had a lot of evidence they had to sift through. And when they reached the conclusions that they did, it gives us some glimpse of what was going on in the jury room, but a lot of it is speculative," said lead defence lawyer Peter Ritchie.

"I guess what we can learn is that since they acquitted this man of first-degree murder, they weren't satisfied that the evidence showed he planned and deliberated these murders."

The jury declined to make a recommendation about sentence length.

Justice James Williams of B.C. Supreme Court thanked the jury, who had spent 10 months hearing evidence and 10 days deliberating.

"Over the last long, long time -- it's a year now -- while carrying out your obligations, you've represented the people of Canada in this very important task and on their behalf, I want to offer you my most sincere thank you," he said.

"You know now what an enormous responsibility it is to judge your fellow man and you have performed this task admirably in my view."

The families have asked that their victim impact statements be read out on Tuesday, on the same day that Pickton will face a sentencing hearing.

Drama accompanied the reading of the verdicts. The courtroom first heard the words "not guilty" in association with the first-degree murder charge, and some thought Pickton had been acquitted. The courtroom then fell silent as it became clear Pickton was convicted of second-degree murder for all six victims.

"It is difficult for the Crown to prove first-degree murder," Wally Oppal, B.C.'s attorney-general, told CTV Newsnet. The elements of planning and deliberation are the key elements, he said.

"We think the jury delivered the proper verdict," Oppal said, and described the prosecution team as having done an "awesome job."

Police arrested Pickton in February 2002. The subsequent investigation of his Port Coquitlam pig farm turned into the most intensive forensic investigation in Canadian history.

The investigation was a joint operation between the Vancouver Police Department and the RCMP.

"The hundreds of investigators have completed more than 13,000 tasks, interviewed hundreds of individuals, and recorded over 1,500 statements," a police spokesperson said Sunday following the verdict.

"If you boxed up the evidence to date, it would equal 688 boxes -- enough to completely fill a large room. If you piled the boxed one on top of each other, their height would be taller than that of the Seattle Space Needle."

The trial began on Jan. 22. The seven-man, five-woman jury heard 128 witnesses (98 for the Crown, 30 for the defence), two closing arguments and a four-day "charge" from Justice Williams of B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster, B.C., which is instructing the jury on the applicable law.

The jury began its deliberations on Nov. 30. Family members of the women Pickton has now been convicted of killing had been conducting a native smudge ceremony this morning when word came down about the verdict.

Pickton pleaded not guilty to six counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of women, some of whom were sex trade workers who disappeared from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside over a period of years.

A further 20 counts of first-degree murder against him will be dealt with at a later date.

Oppal said the "public interest" will determine whether Pickton will face trial on those charges.

"Keep in mind that he's been convicted now of six counts of second-degree murder and will get six mandatory life sentences," he said, adding the victims' families will be consulted.

The cost of the first trial is rumoured to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Oppal said he couldn't confirm the cost at this point, but said cost would not be a consideration in deciding whether to proceed with the second trial.