Canadian True Crime - 13 The Murder of Tori Stafford - Part 2

Starting point is 00:00:00 Welcome to the Canadian True Crime Podcast, Episode 13, The Murder of Tori Stafford, Part 2. This is Kristy. If you haven't listened to Part 1, I would encourage you to listen to that one first to make sure that you have the full story. Again, this podcast contains course language, adult themes and content of a violent and disturbing nature. And this episode contains more details about the crime itself than Part 1 did, so the additional

Starting point is 00:00:37 content warning is still in effect. I generally try to preserve the dignity of the victims when I tell a story, and I will do that as much as I can in this story, but unfortunately this is one of those cases where some of the details will need to be included. In the previous episode. Hers is a face that is familiar for all the wrong reasons. The blonde hair, blue eyes and bright smile made famous when her picture went up on missing posters just before Easter of 2009.

Starting point is 00:01:05 Tori Stafford's hometown of Woodstock, Ontario and communities beyond were rattled when security videos surfaced showing the eight-year-old being led down the street from her school by a woman no one could identify. Two months later, an arrest. 19-year-old Terri Lynn McClintic was taken into custody. Michael Rafferty also arrested, both charged with abduction and murder. Where's Tori? The little girl's body was finally found an hour away from her home outside of Guelph,

Starting point is 00:01:31 Ontario, two months after the arrests. Just remember her because she was the prettiest, most beautiful little girl in the world. So we have two people who were arrested and appeared in court charged with the abduction and murder of Tori Stafford, but the public still knew nothing. What happened to Tori and why her? They had no choice but to wait for the answers to come and it was a long wait. At the end of July 2009, almost four months after Tori disappeared, Father Rodney Stafford announced a bike journey to Alberta to pay tribute to Tori and raise money for the charity

Starting point is 00:02:10 Child Find Ontario as part of their Kilometres for Kids fundraiser. He estimated that to cycle the 4,500 kilometres or 2,700 miles would take about a month, but he said that the distance wouldn't be the biggest challenge. Quote, The ride's making it a lot harder, it's giving me time to think. I don't want any other family to go through this, all I have to do is picture Tori and the other kids, it's enough. In mid-August, as Rodney was cycling his way through Northern Ontario, it was announced

Starting point is 00:02:44 that Terry Lynn McClintic's court case would be delayed until October 1st. Her lawyer said they had a lot of evidence to review and it would take some time. One of the lawyers for Michael Rafferty said that he would be pleading not guilty. When Rodney's charity cycle ride finally reached Edmonton, Alberta in September, he auctioned off his bike, drove up Whistler Mountain and released one purple balloon. He said that this was his way of saying goodbye to his little daughter. The next month, Child Find Ontario says that money raised in memory of Tori Stafford reached more than $40,000.

Starting point is 00:03:23 Meantime, angry residents had made headway on a petition about the police's failure to activate an Amber Alert when Tori went missing. The petition, called Tori's Law, had gathered more than 60,000 signatures. At the time that Tori went missing, the criteria for an Amber Alert meant that they had to confirm a child had been abducted, believed the child to be in danger of serious harm or death and have descriptive information about a suspect or vehicle. Following the awareness created by the petition, the Ontario Provincial Police announced they had reviewed the criteria for Amber Alerts and had decided to revise them.

Starting point is 00:04:04 The new changes would mean that police would only have to believe and not confirm that a child has been abducted and in possible danger. Also, they would now be able to issue an Amber Alert without descriptive information about the abductor or the vehicle. Rodney Stafford said that the changes were outstanding, but expressed concern about the possibility of people crying wolf about a suspected disappearance. He also said that he understood that Tori was murdered the same day she was taken and said that since it took over two and a half hours before a phone call was made to police,

Starting point is 00:04:41 there was a good chance it may not have helped in this particular case. Halloween came and Tori's family visited her grave with a little witch decoration that cackled when the wind blew, saying it would have made her giggle. In December 2009, Teri Lynn McClintock waved her right to a preliminary hearing, meaning she agreed to proceed directly to trial. Her lawyer said she made the decision because she was mentally ready to deal with the matter. On the other hand, that same month, Michael Rafferty elected to have a preliminary hearing, again reiterating through his lawyer that he would be pleading not guilty.

Starting point is 00:05:20 He was in a different detention centre now, having been transferred when he was threatened by inmates. Teri Lynn's trial date was expected to take place three months later in March 2010. The family of Tori Stafford and the community were anticipating finally being able to find out exactly what had happened to the little girl. Michael Rafferty's preliminary hearing was expected to take place three months later in June 2010. On the first anniversary of Tori's abduction and murder, her grandmother Doreen Graychin

Starting point is 00:05:55 said quote, we've taken her along with us, there's nothing we've done that we haven't had the feeling of her presence with us, she's alive in us now. Rodney Stafford said quote, it's actually harder this year than it was last year, last year I wanted to get the story out there to bring her home, this year I know she's not coming back. He went on to say that holidays and birthdays were especially tough, but the family always took care to include Tori and focus on the good times and laughter they shared with her. He was now wholly dedicated to the cause of missing children and was planning a second

Starting point is 00:06:33 bike trip. This time Tori's older brother Doreen would go with him. Doreen had been processing his feelings in his own way and the family had made him a quilt using some of Tori's old clothing, something he could wrap himself in when he was missing her. As for the wait to find out exactly what happened to Tori, her grandmother Doreen acknowledged that finding out what happened through court proceedings would be awful, but hopefully it would erase the terrible questions that plagued them.

Starting point is 00:07:03 Quote, I pray that this eases as time goes on, but not having any answers is the worst. We don't want to know, but we do want to know. The last the family knew was that Terry Lynn McClintock's court date was sometime in March, but it was now April and they still hadn't heard anything. On April the 30th an announcement was made, but it wasn't what they were expecting. A court order was handed down by Justice Dugald R McDermid, permitting the publication of only this statement. As we previously reported, Terry Lynn McClintock was scheduled to appear on April the 30th

Starting point is 00:07:43 2010 in the Superior Court of Justice at Woodstock. But because of a temporary publication ban, we are prohibited by court order from providing any further information until further order of the court. A publication ban. The scope of it was so strict that media were not allowed to even report if Terry Lynn actually appeared in court. The public were again outraged. This case was going the same way as Paul Bernardo and Carla Hamulca, except this ban went beyond

Starting point is 00:08:16 the traditional media that existed back then and extended to anyone using print, broadcast and internet channels to share information. Justice system experts and politicians spoke out against it, saying that misinformation, which is surely more dangerous than facts, will be the order of the day until the ban is lifted. And since the public had no idea what the publication ban was all about and what it seek to protect, it may lead to all kinds of speculation. As for the family of Tori Stafford, mercifully the police were able to tell them in the months

Starting point is 00:08:52 prior what they believed to have happened to Tori in her last moments. But as fulfilling in the blanks and getting confirmation, the only thing that they could look forward to was the fact that publication bans always expire. It was just a matter of when. A month after this announcement was made, the Ministry of the Attorney General announced that it would proceed with a direct indictment in Michael Rafferty's case, meaning he would skip the preliminary hearing and go straight to trial. As you remember from previous episodes, a direct indictment is only granted in the most

Starting point is 00:09:28 serious and complicated of cases, and when the Crown believes there is more than enough evidence for a strong likelihood of conviction. The next month, Rodney Stafford started his second bike ride from Ontario to Alberta to raise awareness of the importance of child safety. This time, he was accompanied by his son Darren, then 12 years old, and they rode on a tandem bike with Rodney's mum Doreen Graychin driving behind them in a truck. During the trip, Rodney said he learned of the amount of strength and courage that Darren has, and as a result, they became closer as father and son.

Starting point is 00:10:07 He also said that personally, the ride gave him peace and helped him to deal with what had happened to Victoria. In November 2010, Michael Rafferty made a court appearance by video. He appeared to have gained some weight since his arrest 18 months beforehand and was observed smirking during his appearance. A month later, a decision by the Supreme Court of Canada meant that the controversial sweeping publication ban was finally lifted, and the media could finally report on what had happened during Terri Lynn McClintock's court hearing.

Starting point is 00:10:41 However, there would still be restrictions on exactly what could be reported, with the intention to not jeopardise Michael Rafferty's right to a fair trial. Here's what the media were able to report about what happened at Terri Lynn's court session. She wore a tailored black suit and a cream shirt with her hair pulled back. She wasn't handcuffed or shackled, but either stood or sat in a prisoner's box with plexiglass walls. She cried frequently during the proceedings.

Starting point is 00:11:12 The kidnapping charge was dropped, and just the first degree murder charge remained. When the judge asked what her plea was, she said, guilty, in a soft, monotone voice. The judge asked her what her motive was for pleading guilty to first-degree murder to ensure that she understood that she was heading for life in prison. Terri Lynn replied, quote, it seems like the right thing to do. The court then went into a reading of Terri Lynn's role in the murder of Tori Stafford. Tori's mother, Tara McDonald, left the courtroom for this, along with a few other family members. Tori's father, Rodney Stafford, remained.

Starting point is 00:11:52 The judge then read an agreed statement of facts, but the media were only able to report on an edited version that tells only Terri Lynn's side of the story. It completely leaves out any mention of Michael Rafferty or his involvement. According to the edited version of the statement of facts, Terri Lynn didn't wake up that morning thinking she was going to take a child. She got some food vouchers and food and went to the Community Employment Service and Woodstock to apply for a job. It had been five months since she had worked.

Starting point is 00:12:25 Before that, she had a brief stint as an industrial cleaner and as a babysitter for various families caring for children between eight months and five years old. On the job application, she checked off the box that said, I tend to become angry easily. And she wrote next to it, quote, but have been able to maintain control over situations. Then she ended up walking up 5th Avenue towards Oliver Stevens Elementary School in Woodstock. As she walked up, she saw Tori Stafford walking towards her by herself. At about 3.30pm, Terri Lynn approached Tori and struck up a conversation, telling the little girl that she had a shih tzu dog.

Starting point is 00:13:10 Tori, of course, said she too had the same kind of dog. Terri Lynn invited Tori to come and see hers. The surveillance video shows the two walking into the parking lot of a nearby nursing home. The two of them then drove to Guelph, a city about 50 minutes drive north of Woodstock. At about 5.12pm, they stopped at a home depot and Terri Lynn went in and purchased a hammer and garbage bags. The two then went to a location north of Guelph. The statement then reads, quote, in a remote location on a side road, Victoria Elizabeth

Starting point is 00:13:48 Stafford was murdered and her body was concealed. Between 9pm and 10pm that night, Terri Lynn McClintock returned back to the house she shared with her mother in Woodstock. Very very bare bone details and the public would need to continue to wait to receive the full picture of what happened to Tori and why. The statement of facts revealed a few other things about what went on behind the scenes. The first is that despite the police waiting 11 days to announce to the public that they were treating the case as an abduction, they actually considered it as an abduction as early

Starting point is 00:14:26 as the day after Tori went missing. Also, as soon as the police released a video tape of a woman walking with Tori, the woman in the white coat, they received several tips that the woman was Terri Lynn McClintock. As we learned in part one, one of these tips came from Tori's mother, Tara McDonald, who said she recognized Terri Lynn's distinctive walk. So how did Tara McDonald know Terri Lynn? What was the connection? Well, Tara told the police that Terri Lynn's mother Carol also owned a shih tzu dog and

Starting point is 00:15:01 the two women had discussed the possibility of breeding their dogs. Tara went to Carol's house to discuss the logistics and Terri Lynn happened to be there. More on this connection would be revealed in Michael Waffety's trial. After the police were confident that Terri Lynn McClintock was the person in the video, they realized there was an outstanding arrest warrant for her on a couple of minor offences. Parole violation, breach of custody and supervision. These were after several assault charges that she'd had. So on April the 12th, four days after Tori disappeared, they arrested Terri Lynn and

Starting point is 00:15:42 she remained in police custody since that date. So the police had one suspect in police custody, yet Michael Waffety wasn't arrested until May the 20th, five and a half weeks later. What was happening during that time? Terri Lynn was shown the surveillance video but denied being the person in the video or having any involvement in Tori's abduction. But the police still considered her a person of interest and earmarked her for further investigation. She stayed in custody at the local detention center.

Starting point is 00:16:16 A few weeks went by, the investigation expanded in scope, which meant the Ontario Provincial Police were now involved. On May the 12th, a month after Terri Lynn was first brought into custody, investigators interviewed her for the second time. This time her story changed. She said she did recall walking up 5th Avenue but did not stop anywhere near the school. Three days later, she was asked if she would consent to providing a further statement to police.

Starting point is 00:16:46 She said that she would. Four days after that, on May the 19th, 2009, Terri Lynn McClintic was taken out of the detention center and back to the Oxford Community Police Service headquarters. She declined the opportunity to speak with her lawyer and said she was voluntarily participating in the interview. First, she provided a polygraph statement and then was questioned, primarily by Staff Sergeant Jim Smith. She admitted that she was the female walking with Tori Stafford and gave a full version

Starting point is 00:17:20 of what happened to the little girl. She said that she was the female walking with Tori Stafford and gave a full version of what happened to Tori Stafford and gave a full version of what happened to her. She said that she was the female walking with Tori Stafford and gave a full version of what happened to Tori Stafford and gave a full version of what happened to her. She said that she was the female walking with Tori Stafford and gave a full version of what number one priority is to locate Tori's remains. She said that she was the female walking with Tori Stafford and gave a full version of what

Starting point is 00:21:03 happened to her. She said that she was the female walking with Tori Stafford and gave a full version of what happened to Tori Stafford and gave a full version of what happened to her. She said that she was the female walking with Tori Stafford and gave a full version of what happened to her. She said that she was the female walking with Tori Stafford and gave a full version of what happened to her. After getting Teri Lynn's testimony, the next order of business was to find Tori's remains.

Starting point is 00:24:18 By this point, Teri Lynn was willing to cooperate with the police and assist investigators in their attempts to locate her. In the weeks that followed, Teri Lynn attempted to recall exactly where it was that they had left Tori. She accompanied investigators as they searched in areas north of Guelph. She described in detail the actual scene of the murder, referencing a broken down fence, visible silos, a large rock pile and nearby house, a laneway, trees and more. She drew sketches of the scenery and its placement and artist sketches were also developed from her descriptions. But it was a vast area and would take a while to figure out exactly where she meant. But on July 19, 2009, over two months after Teri Lynn was first taken into custody, an officer was driving around to check out the area, recognize some landmarks from the artist sketches and stop to investigate. He got out of his car, approached a group of trees beside a rock pile and saw a portion of green garbage bag underneath some rocks.

Starting point is 00:25:29 He had found Tori Stafford. It would be revealed that this officer was Staff Sergeant Jim Smith, the same officer that Teri Lynn was talking to when she confessed on the interrogation tape. The final part of the statement of facts says that Tori's remains had suffered from significant decomposition in the time between April 8 and July 19. The little girl was positively identified using dental records and also from the fact that her Hannah Montana T-shirt and butterfly earrings were found alongside her remains. Her cause of death was determined to be multiple blunt force impact. After the statement of facts was read, it was time for additional statements. Teri Lynn's statement started off with her saying she wasn't dealt a great hand with the cards of life and she learned to bury her emotions rather than letting them get out. She said that she was doing this so that Tori got justice.

Starting point is 00:26:27 She bizarrely said that she was honored to have been able to spend even a brief amount of time with such an amazing person and it pained her to think how many people wouldn't get to see what a beautiful and brilliant woman she would have grown up to be. Teri Lynn went on to say she couldn't explain her thought process on that day and although she was on drugs that doesn't make what happened acceptable. She says she wakes up wishing that what happened was just a very bad dream, that she had to take responsibility for her actions. She said she can't take back what happened but wanted to express how truly sorry she was and that she was there willingly to avoid dragging people through a trial. She wanted to try and make things as right as they can be. Quote, a million tears will never be enough and a million words would never be able to express how truly sorry I am. After court, Tori's mother Tara McDonald said quote, it was garbage you can print that. I don't want to hear your apologies.

Starting point is 00:27:28 If you apologize every day until the day you die it's never going to be enough, never. Back in court, Tara McDonald read her victim impact statement. She said a piece of her will be missing for the rest of her entire lifetime. Quote, the emptiness is overwhelming. I miss her so much that many times if I didn't have my son I probably would have taken my own life because the agony of not having her with me is so great. Rodney Stafford read his statement. He said he would miss out on seeing her at the prom, being proud of her when she graduated, walking her down the aisle. He described what the last year of his life had been like, wondering what had happened to her, where she'd gone.

Starting point is 00:28:14 He said the loss of Victoria had left an emptiness inside that no parent should ever have to feel. He doubted his own family and friends. He said the hardest part of the year had been watching Darren, now 12 years old, try to continue through life trying to figure out why he lost his little sister and best friend and deal with his own feelings of guilt because he couldn't walk her home. Lastly, Rodney addressed Terry Lynn. Surprisingly, he said as hard as it is for him, he had to thank her for stepping up and accepting responsibility and for aiding in the search to find Victoria's remains. He said he believed that Terry Lynn was a woman under the influence of drugs who took things too far. He ended his statement by saying, quote, I hope that during your sentence, you find peace with yourself and with God. And just maybe one day I could learn to forgive you.

Starting point is 00:29:09 But for now, excuse me if I don't, my little girl is gone. Tori's older brother Darren Stafford also read a statement. He described Tori as his best friend, the most important person in the world to him, quote, just knowing that I will never get to see her again makes me sad. I would have given anything and I still would give anything to get my baby sister back. I just love her more than anything. I've lost a lot of sleep. After these statements, Terry Lynn was seen throwing up in a waste paper basket. She was sentenced to life in prison with no eligibility for parole for 25 years.

Starting point is 00:29:54 With half the mystery over with, Tori's family braced themselves for the onslaught of pre-trial hearings and motions in the lead up to Michael Rafferty's trial. Rodney Stafford said it was difficult having to sit only several rows behind him, even though he was in the plexiglass prisoner's box. By this point, Michael Rafferty had shaved off his goatee and was clean shaven with a cropped haircut. He'd put on a considerable amount of weight and looked quite different to the guy who was first arrested. In March of 2011, it was announced that a judge had granted Michael Rafferty's request to move his trial outside the city of Woodstock. The defence had argued that he would not get a fair trial in the city, so it was moved to London, a city about 45 minutes drive southwest of Woodstock. The judge said the people in Woodstock would have a strong emotional reaction to a crime of this nature, putting Michael Rafferty's right to a fair trial in jeopardy. The trial was slated to commence eight months after that in January 2012, almost three years after Torrey first went missing.

Starting point is 00:31:04 Six months later, in September 2011, Torrey's mother Tara McDonald then aged 32 and her partner James Gorris 34 plus another man were charged after a drug bust. Tara and James were charged with possession of a controlled substance and stolen property and were released. If Tara was already struggling with substance addiction, it's no surprise that the problem would resurface after the horrific loss of her young daughter in that way. In January of 2012, pre-trial motions were continuing and the lead up to the trials starting, but due to many parts of the publication ban still being in place, the media were only able to report the simple detail that they were actually happening. While the city of Woodstock braced themselves for the details of the crime that would finally be revealed, they reflected on the changes that had occurred in their city and the wider community. Many referred to the phenomenon as before Torrey and after Torrey. Before Torrey, it was the kind of community where everyone knew everyone, the people had faith in each other, left their doors unlocked and let their kids play on the streets. But after Torrey, the small town charm and community trust took a hit.

Starting point is 00:32:26 They were more wary of strangers and unknown cars on suburban streets were noticed more. Most tellingly, they no longer let their kids be alone. Not only this, but the controversy in the way that the police handled the case made the community wonder if the local police service were capable of handling anything more than routine police work. By this time, the dilapidated house where Terri Lynn McClintic lived with her mother Carol was now abandoned. Carol was reportedly harassed until she left town a year before the trial started. The house had been vandalized a few times and bed frames, old furniture and bags of garbage were stacked on the porch. As jury selection began at the end of February 2012, Michael Rafferty, then 31, was formally arraigned and pleaded not guilty to charges of first degree murder, sexual assault causing bodily harm and kidnapping in the death of Victoria Stafford. On March the 5th, 2012, Michael Rafferty's trial finally began, almost three years after Torrey went missing.

Starting point is 00:33:34 His hair was now shaved in a military style haircut, closely shaved at the back and sides with slightly longer hair up top. He wore square framed glasses and a suit as he sat behind the plexiglass prisoner box. Torrey Stafford's parents, grandparents and other family members and friends showed up every day and all wore a purple item to represent Torrey. What are your emotions today? All over the place. Been waiting for this for almost three years now and time to get it started. Are you a little worried about what you're going to hear in the courtroom? Yeah, in a way, but no, in a sense because my mind's already played over everything. But have you heard all the details before?

Starting point is 00:34:19 Have I? Yeah. You have heard, so you're going to hear them again. What's it like to be in the same room as the man accused of taking your daughter away? Self-explanatory, really, if you think about it. Most of us don't have to deal with something like that. Well, yeah, but the same, I don't know how to answer that. I don't because it's heartbreaking because there's nothing you can do or say without ruining the potential, like what's going to happen?

Starting point is 00:34:47 What's going to come of this? You can't say anything. You're put under so many different gag orders. It's ridiculous. Yadni, can you tell us what these three years have been like for you, for your family? Up, down, all over the place, it's hard to explain. You can't even put it into words because from one minute through another, you're all over the place. One song can change your total demeanor from being positive into a bubbling fool or a whimpering fool. It's not like I want to be like this, but what happens? Can you tell us about Victoria? I mean, we're in the middle of this case, but this is all about your daughter. Can you tell us about Victoria that the world should know and should have continued?

Starting point is 00:35:37 One thing I do want to express is over the weekend, I spoke with a number of people, asking just people off the streets if they knew who Victoria Stafford was. People were asking him what the ribbons were all about and I was saying about Victoria Stafford and nobody knew who it was. And I asked if they knew Michael Rafferty and it was, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's not about Rafferty, it's about the little girl that lost her life. And I'm going to make sure we push it and keep it that way. Her name should be, if not, bigger than Michael Rafferty's. It's the innocence of an eight-year-old daughter, little girl, taken in comparison to this monster, alleged monster. No, Tori's got to be out there more. Rodney, how much face do you have in this jury?

Starting point is 00:36:28 I have to put all my face into this jury because you've got to go with what they come up with. My face with the crown and the police and doing their job, it's to my understanding that they've all done their jobs accordingly and appropriately and let's see. Do you have a passion project that you're ready to take to the next level? Squarespace makes it easy for anyone to create an engaging web presence, grow a brand and sell anything from your products to the content you create and even your time. When I launched this passion project six years ago, I needed some kind of online hub to manage all the non-podcasting tasks that come with podcasting. I chose Squarespace because it's an all-in-one platform that seamlessly helps me achieve multiple goals. It's important to have a website that looks good and I was inspired by Squarespace's wide selection of clean and modern templates. They can be easily customized with pre-built layouts and flexible design tools to fit your needs and you can even browse the category of your business to see examples of what others have done.

Starting point is 00:37:38 I used the built-in blogging tools to create a new page for each episode and there are so many intuitive options from embedding an audio player so listeners can stream episodes to scheduling posts to be published on a certain date and easily moderated comments section and automatically displaying recent episodes on the homepage. Every Squarespace website and online store includes SEO tools to help you maximize your visibility in search engines I love the powerful insights I can get from the analytics tools, helping me better understand who's visiting the site, where they came from and how they're interacting with it. Do you have a passion project or business idea or something to sell? Go to squarespace.com.ctc for a free trial and when you're ready to launch, use offer code CTC to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. That's squarespace.com.ctc with offer code CTC and get your passion project off the ground today. Crown Attorney Kevin Gowdy told the jury in his opening address that it wasn't necessary for them to determine who exactly did what, but whether Michael Rafferty and Terry Lynn McClintock acted together to bring about the girl's death.

Starting point is 00:38:57 The first to testify was Tori's grade three teacher, Jennifer Griffin Murrell, who fought back tears as she said, quote, she was kind of like a mother hen to a lot of the younger kids in the class. She always wanted to help. She had a little spark. She was very dramatic in a way that she liked music and drama and always liked to do little role plays or air bands. She was just a lovely little girl. As she spoke the words, Michael Rafferty was seen taking off his glasses and wiping his eyes. In the surveillance video showing Tori walking with Terry Lynn, a woman can be seen standing as they walked by. This woman testified that she was waiting to pick up her sons. She said she took note of Tori and Terry Lynn because Tori was in her youngest son's class. She said she didn't know Terry Lynn, but also said they didn't appear to be strangers to each other. Tori's mother Tara McDonald testified next, saying that although she'd made headway in weaning herself off OxyContin earlier in the year Tori went missing,

Starting point is 00:40:04 she had begun to struggle again. She told the court about the real reason that she knew Carol McClintock, Terry Lynn's mother. She had been buying OxyContin from Carol. Twice, Tara went to the house where Carol and Terry Lynn lived, describing it as a dilapidated triplex. It was so sparsely furnished that the only place to sit was an old futon mattress. As Tara and Carol discussed their transaction and the possible breeding of their shih tzu dogs, Terry Lynn passed by, one time sitting down on the mattress with them. Tara recalled that Terry Lynn looked like she was very under the influence and almost oblivious to the fact that there were other people around. This meeting had occurred in January of February of 2009. Remember that Tori went missing in April of that year. Tara testified that to her knowledge, neither Tori nor her brother Darren had contact with the McClintock family.

Starting point is 00:41:05 The connection between Tara and Terry Lynn was looking like it was purely a coincidence. Next, the court heard from several police investigators who spoke to the massive scale of the investigation and how overwhelmed officers worked around the clock to try and find Tori. The search for Tori Stafford was the largest in the history of Ontario and perhaps even the country. Almost 14,000 people were involved in the search and covered more than 18,000 kilometres. One member of the police investigation team testified that the day after Terry Lynn confessed, they obtained video footage of her at a home depot in Guelph. This is where she purchased the garbage bags and claw hammer, just as she had claimed in her confession. The investigators' voice broke as he described his realisation at that point that they were no longer looking for a little abducted girl, they were looking for a body. Terry Lynn McClintock testified next. She was of course the crowned star witness against Michael Rafferty.

Starting point is 00:42:12 Now 21, her hair had been cut in a short bob and she wore glasses that stylishly framed her face. Her first day of testimony saw the main and overflow courtrooms filled to capacity as people lined up for hours to hear her version of events. First, she described her traumatic upbringing with Carol McClintock and the verbal, physical and sexual assault she endured as a child, how she began smoking marijuana when she was only 8 years old and how she would eventually take to using opiates, painkillers, morphine and of course oxycontin. At the time Tori went missing she said quote, my day-to-day routine was getting high, that was pretty much it. Then it was time for the real questions, what happened to Tori and most importantly, how was Michael Rafferty involved? For the first time, the community was about to find out the horrific truth. Terry Lynn talked about how she and Michael Rafferty had met in the pizza shop.

Starting point is 00:43:16 He'd driven her home and then they'd commenced a relationship of sorts. The relationship mainly consisted of getting high, hanging out and occasionally having sex. Terry Lynn was thrilled. She felt like she'd finally found a good man, someone different to all the others she'd dated. One day, Michael had casually asked her if she thought it would be weird to kidnap someone. Terry Lynn desperately wanted the relationship to work, so she just ignored the statement. On another occasion, she said Michael drove her to several residences and told her how easy it would be to break in, tie someone up and just take them. At the time, she said she told him she wasn't interested in those things. On the day Tori disappeared, Terry Lynn testified that Michael called her in the morning looking for Oxycontin.

Starting point is 00:44:08 She gave him the numbers of several contacts he could call. Later on that day, she was again high on prescription drugs and was riding around in Michael's car. As they drove past Oliver Stevens Public School, Michael again brought up the abduction idea asking her to prove that she wasn't simply all talk. He coached her on what to say to Laura Child into the car, telling her to just talk about dogs or candy. He parked his car in the parking lot of the nearby nursing home. Terry Lynn said that while she agreed, her plan was to pretend she went looking for a girl to kidnap, but would come back empty-handed. But Michael slowly drove past her, watching her, so she decided she would find a child and walk beside them, but not go any further than that. Terry Lynn walked towards Tori, who ended up being the only accompanied child she came across.

Starting point is 00:45:06 She dropped in beside the little girl, introduced herself as Terry Lynn, but told Tori she could call her T. Tori said, My name's Victoria, but everybody calls me Tori. Terry Lynn asked if Tori wanted to see her shih tzu dog, and of course having one herself, Tori said yes. She walked off with the older girl towards where Michael's Honda was parked. Tori reached for Terry Lynn's hand as the two crossed the street. When they got to the car, Terry Lynn pushed Tori into it. Michael scolded Terry Lynn, saying that Tori wasn't young enough.

Starting point is 00:45:44 He wanted someone younger because they were easier to manipulate. Still, he decided to drive off with her anyway. Tori was made to crouch down on the floor of the back seat where they covered her up with Michael's black Peacote. As they drove out of Woodstock, Terry Lynn casually chatted with Tori, learning that her favorite color was purple, that her favorite TV show was Hannah Montana, which was on the t-shirt she was wearing, and her favorite holiday was Halloween because she liked dressing up. By this time, they were driving east on Highway 401. Michael was quiet.

Starting point is 00:46:21 The only thing he said was, We can't just keep her and we can't take her back. Michael turned on the radio to see if there was any news of a missing girl from Woodstock, but when he didn't hear anything, he decided to stop at a Tim Hortons and Guelph, leaving Terry Lynn and Tori alone in the car waiting for him to get back. Terry Lynn ordered a cup of tea while he was there. While he was gone, Tori had moved from her position on the floor and had sat up a little bit. When Michael returned, he yelled at her, saying,

Starting point is 00:46:55 What part of stay down, stay fucking covered, don't you understand? He then drove them to a house in Guelph to buy Percocets. As soon as he left the car to pick up the drugs, Terry Lynn says she apologized to Tori for Michael yelling at her. Tori was such a smart little girl that by now she knew she was in big trouble. She peeped out from under the pea coat and asked Terry Lynn what was wrong with him. Terry Lynn said he was just stressed out. Tori asked where they were going. She asked if she could go home.

Starting point is 00:47:29 She said she wouldn't tell anyone and would tell her mom she went to a cousin's house to play. Terry Lynn reassured her, saying that she wouldn't let anything happen to her and she'd make sure that Tori got home soon. Michael came back with a sandwich bag full of Percocets and they drove to make their third and final stop at the Home Depot in Guelph. There he gave Terry Lynn cash to go in and buy a claw hammer and some garbage bags. Tori asked Terry Lynn not to leave her alone with Michael but Terry Lynn promised that she would be quick.

Starting point is 00:48:04 When Terry Lynn was back in the car, Michael drove them away. Michael drove the car to a rural area down a deserted laneway and into a clearing parking next to a rock pile in a field. At this point, Terry Lynn said Michael began to masturbate as he brought the car to a stop and announced that they couldn't keep Tori. Terry Lynn sensed what was about to happen and got out of the car and walked away. She said, quote, I didn't want to be there for what was going to happen. Michael clambered into the backseat of the car where Tori was.

Starting point is 00:48:42 He brutally sexually assaulted her and as she screamed, Terry Lynn said that she turned her head away. After some time, Michael called Terry Lynn to come back because little Tori needed to go to the bathroom. Tori again grabbed Terry Lynn's hand. The brave little girl was of course crying her eyes out. Terry Lynn recalled saying, I'm sorry. Tori cried, just don't let him do it again. Terry Lynn told her she was a very strong little girl before leading her back to Michael, who was waiting in the backseat of the car.

Starting point is 00:49:17 Terry Lynn said Tori wouldn't let go of her hand and asked her to stay. So she got in the front seat and tried to keep holding on to the little girl's hand. But she said she knew what was about to happen and decided she couldn't be there for it again. So she walked away as Michael sexually assaulted Tori yet again. She stared at a silo in the distance trying to block out the sounds of what was happening at the car. Terry Lynn said she kept having flashbacks, quote, Sometimes it was like I wasn't even there. I realized I needed to do something so I turned back to the vehicle and when I saw what was going on,

Starting point is 00:49:56 all I saw was myself when I was that age and all the anger and hate and rage that I had and blame that I had built up towards myself came boiling out of me. It was apparently all about Terry Lynn's rage. She didn't consider the suffering that little Tori must have been going through. By this point, Tori was laying on the ground beside the car but still alive. Terry Lynn testified that she started kicking her and then grabbed a garbage bag and put it over Tori's head. Then, quote, She was struck with a hammer. The crown asked, Who struck her with a hammer?

Starting point is 00:50:32 Me. To the surprise of the court, Terry Lynn had changed her story, now saying that she was the one that had picked up the claw hammer and struck Tori in the head with it repeatedly, ending her life. Quote, I went back to the vehicle and I savagely murdered that little girl. It turns out she had recanted her testimony about six weeks before the trial started while talking to a counsellor. But when the police came to the prison to take her new statement the following day, another detail in her story was different.

Starting point is 00:51:06 In the new version, it wasn't Michael who told her to buy the claw hammer and garbage bags. Terry Lynn was the one that made the decision to buy them. Back at the court, her testimony then joined back up with what she'd originally said in the interrogation, with Michael putting Tori's body in several layers of garbage bags. He yelled at her to help him, saying she was in just as far as he was now. So she helped him. They threw Tori's body next to the rock pile and put some of the rocks on top of her. They got back in the car and Michael asked a shaky Terry Lynn if she was okay.

Starting point is 00:51:44 She said she grunted in response. He said, Quote, Yeah, I'm alright too considering. Terry Lynn confirmed that when she first confessed to the police, she lied and blamed Michael Rafferty for the murder. She said she did it because, Quote, I didn't really believe what really happened. I couldn't believe I was capable of what had happened. She also went on to say she wanted to ensure that he would never be able to harm a child again. The jury was instructed by the judge that in light of these events,

Starting point is 00:52:17 they couldn't rely on previous testimonies from Terry Lynn and to only consider her latest testimony. Terry Lynn confirmed when she first confessed to the police, she lied and blamed Michael Rafferty for the murder. She said she did it because, Quote, I didn't really believe what really happened. I couldn't believe I was capable of what had happened. She also went on to say she wanted to ensure that he would never be able to harm a child again. To be continued, please see Part 3.

Canadian True Crime - 13 The Murder of Tori Stafford - Part 2

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