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Revision as of 16:22, 1 May 2006 by Yank4323 (talk | contribs) (fix footnote formatting, clarify this is what a friend said)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)The Richardson family murders involved the murder of three members of the family in Medicine Hat, Alberta. The bodies of Marc Richardson, his wife Debra, and their son Jacob (age 8) were found by a friend of Jacob on April 23, 2006 at 1pm. Absent from the home at the time of the discovery was Jasmine Richardson, the couple's 12 year old daughter (early news reports said she was 13). Jasmine was arrested the next day in the nearby community of Leader, Saskatchewan with her 23 year-old boyfriend Jeremy Allan Steinke, both charged with the three murders.
Under the Youth Criminal Justice Act the name of Jasmine Richardson could no longer be published in Canada, after she became a suspect. However, by the time of her arrest, her name had already been widely published. Under the same act, 12 is the lowest possible age a person can be charged. As well, persons under 14 can not be charged as adults, and can not be sentenced to more then ten years in jail (unlike an adult who could face life in prison).
According to friends of Jasmine, partly over concerns about the age disparity, Jasmine's parent's had grounded her for dating Steinke. Her friends had also criticized the relationship, but the couple continued dating anyhow.
After the arrests of the two were made, police indicated that more charges could follow.
According to friends of Steinke, he told them he thought he was a 300-year-old werewolf. He allegedly told his friends that he liked the taste of blood, and wore a small vial of blood around his neck. He also had a user account at the VapireFreaks.com web site. Jasmine also had a page at the same site, leading to speculation they met there. However, later, an acquaintance of Steinke said the couple actually met at a punk dance in early 2006.
The couple were also found to be communicating at Nexopia, a popular web site for young Canadians. Various messages they sent to each were available to the public, before the accounts were removed by Nexopia staff.
References
- ^ "Three bodies discovered in Medicine Hat home", ctv.ca, April 24, 2006.
- ^ Dohy, Leanne, "Triple murder shocks city: Medicine Hat girl missing, family dead", The Calgary Herald, April 24, 2006.
- Sherri Zickefoose, Tony Seskus and Robert Remington, "Road to a massacre: Few could have predicted the bizarre twists after a young boy stumbles upon a triple slaying", National Post, April 29, 2006.
- ^ "12-year-old charged in Medicine Hat", CBC.ca, April 24, 2006
- D'Aliesio, Renata, "If convicted, girl would be free in 10 years", Edmonton Journal, April 27, 2006.
- Breakenridge, Dave,, "Pre-teen's tryst 'gross' Friends of 12-year-old accused killer disapproved of boyfriend, 23", Calgary Sun, April 28, 2006.
- "More charges possible in triple murders", Vancouver Sun, April 27, 2005.
- "Mother Of Accused Family Killer Speaks Out Against Vilification Of Son", CityTV Calgary, April 26, 2006.
- "Chilling stories emerge; Mother of accused in triple slaying denies her son was a werewolf", Daily Herald-Tribune, April 28, 2006.
- Algar, Selim, "'VAMPIRE' BLOG AN EERIE SITE", New York Post, April 29, 2006.
- Reynolds, Richard, "Accused killer, 12, linked to goth site", The Syndney Morning Herald, April 28, 2006.
- "Medicine Hat Murder Suspects Appear in Court", 630 CHED AM, April 26, 2006.
- ^ Walton, Dawn, "Net holds dark hints on slayings: Pair accused in deaths of Alberta family posted messages on notorious websites", The Globe and Mail, April 26, 2006.
- "Sudbury family mourn murder victims", Northern Life, April 27, 2006.