A man who spent 19 years in jail for the murder of federal police assistant commissioner Colin Winchester has been found not guilty.
An ACT Supreme Court jury on Thursday found David Eastman not guilty of murdering Mr Winchester, after a lengthy retrial.
Mr Eastman said "thank you" to the judge after the verdict was read out.
Former Treasury official David Eastman arrives at the Supreme Court in Canberra during a retrial for the 1989 murder of a senior AFP officer. Source: AAP
An "extremely disappointed" Winchester family released a statement saying they believe the jury's decision is wrong based on the weight of evidence.
Mr Winchester was shot twice in the head as he parked on the driveway next to his Canberra home about 9.15pm on January 10, 1989.
Mr Eastman, a former Treasury official, was charged with the murder in 1993. He pleaded not guilty but in 1995 he was sentenced to life in jail.
The conviction was quashed in 2014 over concerns about problems with the original evidence, and a new trial began in July 2018.
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Eastman's wait for final justice
The prosecution alleged Eastman, 73, had developed a murderous hatred of Mr Winchester, who he blamed for imperilling his bid to rejoin the commonwealth public service.
The defence counsel told the ACT Supreme Court there were too many unknowns and gaps for the jury to find Eastman guilty.
However, listening devices placed in Eastman's flat revealed him whispering to himself: "He was the first man, the first man I ever killed."
There were audible gasps in the packed courtroom on Thursday as the jury's verdict was read out.
The Winchester family's statement said it had been an arduous experience for them over many decades.
"We believe the verdict is wrong and we are extremely disappointed given the significant volume of compelling evidence," the family said.
John Hinchey, a spokesman for the family, said the Australian Federal Police would also be feeling pain at the verdict.
"They would be heartbroken, I would believe, and grief stricken, again. It is another day of mourning for the AFP and the Winchesters," he told reporters outside court.
