Richardson family murders

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This image of Jasmine Richardson was originally released to the media on April 23 when the police were looking for her, but she was not an official suspect, but was suppressed on April 24 when she became a suspect (and was arrested).
This image of Jasmine Richardson was originally released to the media on April 23 when the police were looking for her, but she was not an official suspect, but was suppressed on April 24 when she became a suspect (and was arrested).

The Richardson family murders involved the murder of three members of the family in Medicine Hat, Alberta.[1] The bodies of Marc Richardson (age 42), his wife Debra (age 48), and their son Jacob (age 8) were found by a friend of Jacob on April 23, 2006 at 1 p.m.[2][3][4] Absent from the home at the time of the discovery was Jasmine Richardson,[2][1] the couple's 12[5] year old daughter (early news reports said she was 13[2]). 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. [5][6] Later, on May 3, 2006, Kacy Lancaster was charged with being an accessory after the fact. She is accused of disposing of evidence[7].

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, twelve is the lowest possible age a person can be charged, persons under fourteen can not be charged as adults, and can not be given more than a ten year sentence (an adult could face a life sentence).[8]

According to friends of Jasmine, who was in grade seven,[9] Jasmine's parents had grounded her for dating Steinke, due in part to the age disparity.[10] Her friends had also criticized the relationship, but the couple continued dating regardless.[10]

According to friends of Steinke, he told them he thought he was a 300-year-old werewolf.[11] He allegedly told his friends that he liked the taste of blood, and wore a small vial of blood around his neck.[12] He also had a user account at the VampireFreaks.com web site.[13] Jasmine also had a page at the same site, leading to speculation they met there.[14] However, later, an acquaintance of Steinke said the couple actually met at a punk dance in early 2006.[15]

The couple were also found to be communicating at Nexopia, a popular web site for young Canadians.[16] Various messages they sent to each were available to the public, before the accounts were removed by Nexopia staff.[16] Jasmine's user page, under the name "runawaydevil", falsely said she was 15 and ended with the text "Welcome to my tragic end.".[17]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "Three bodies discovered in Medicine Hat home", ctv.ca, April 24, 2006.
  2. ^ a b c Dohy, Leanne. "Triple murder shocks city: Medicine Hat girl missing, family dead", Calgary Herald, 2006-04-24, p. A.1.. Retrieved on 2006-06-19.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ Zickefoose, Sherri, "Bodies of slain family flown to Ontario for funeral", National Post, May 1, 2006.
  5. ^ a b "12-year-old charged in Medicine Hat", CBC.ca, April 24, 2006
  6. ^ "More charges possible in triple murders", Vancouver Sun, April 27, 2005.
  7. ^ Third person charged, Edmonton Journal, May 4, 2006
  8. ^ D'Aliesio, Renata, "If convicted, girl would be free in 10 years", Edmonton Journal, April 27, 2006.
  9. ^ "Sudbury family mourn murder victims", Northern Life, Laurentian Media Group, 2006-04-27. Retrieved on 2006-06-19.
  10. ^ a b Breakenridge, Dave, "Pre-teen's tryst 'gross' Friends of 12-year-old accused killer disapproved of boyfriend, 23", Calgary Sun, April 28, 2006.
  11. ^ "Mother Of Accused Family Killer Speaks Out Against Vilification Of Son", CityTV Calgary, April 26, 2006.
  12. ^ "Chilling stories emerge; Mother of accused in triple slaying denies her son was a werewolf", Daily Herald-Tribune, April 28, 2006.
  13. ^ Algar, Selim, "'VAMPIRE' BLOG AN EERIE SITE", New York Post, April 29, 2006.
  14. ^ Reynolds, Richard, "Accused killer, 12, linked to goth site", The Syndney Morning Herald, April 28, 2006.
  15. ^ "Medicine Hat Murder Suspects Appear in Court", 630 CHED AM, April 26, 2006.
  16. ^ a b 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.
  17. ^ Johnsrude, Larry, "Goths say Medicine Hat killings give them bad name", Edmonton Journal, April 26, 2006.

[edit] External links

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