So I have been following this story since it happened, not for obvious reasons, but because a very dear friend of mine is from Woodstock, Ontario. I cannot imagine what Tori's parents have and are going though, but the rest of the community as a whole must be devestated.
I have read everything I could to have an educated perspective on this, so here goes:
Terry-Lynne McClintic was found guilty of first degree murder and serving a life sentence, lets hope she never gets out. What about child endangerment? or sexual abuse? If Rafferty did sexually assult and rape Tori, Terry could have stopped it. She could have done the right thing. By taking the child back to Rafferty to be continually raped, she had a part in it. She basically lured the child under false pretenses, basically kidnapped her, drugged her, let her boyfriend repeatedly rape a little girl, and then she killed Tori, buried her broken body and went home. She definetly is where she should be-away from children.
But what if Rafferty did not rape and kill Tori? That is what the defense wants people to thinik happened. What if Terry was the mastermind of the whole abduction? It is possible he might not have known what was going to happen. She could have told him anything. What if it was Terry who raped and killed Tori on her own and Rafferty was just a bystander? If that was true, Rafferty should still be charged, as an accessory to kidnapping and abduction, sexual assault, rape and murder. If indeed he was a bystander caught in an awful situation, he could have overpowered McClintic and saved Tori. It is riduculous to think that Rafferty could not control the situation.
My end thoughts; McClintic and Rafferty are no different than Paul Bernardo and Karla Holmolka, sick individuals and dangerous together. Rafferty needs to be found guilty and be institutionalized for the rest of his life. I am only glad that Rafferty did not get the plea deal Holmolka did, and that McClintic and Rafferty were caught before another young life was ended at their hands.
My heart goes out to Tori's family and friends. It would be aggonizing to have to go though a trial of someone who took the life of a child and in such a brutal and violent way. I hope Tori finds justice, I hope he is found guilty, and I hope that Tori's family can go on, Rest in Peace Victoria Stafford.
