| Victoria "Tori" Stafford | |
|---|---|
| Born | Victoria Elizabeth Stafford July 15, 2000[1] Woodstock, Ontario |
| Died | April 8, 2009 (aged 8) Woodstock, Ontario |
| Cause of death | multiple blunt force impacts |
| Body discovered | July 19, 2009 |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Education | Oliver Stephens Public School (Gr. 3) |
| Known for | Abducted/murdered child |
| Height | 1.35 metres (4.4 ft) |
| Weight | 27 kilograms (60 lb) |
| Parents | Tara McDonald (mother) Rodney Stafford (father) |
| Relatives | Daryn Stafford (brother) |
Victoria Elizabeth "Tori" Stafford was an eight year old Canadian girl abducted from Woodstock, Ontario on April 8, 2009, and murdered. She was last seen on security camera footage walking with Terri-Lynne McClintic.
Her disappearance and the subsequent investigation and search were the subject of massive media coverage across Canada.[2] The search for her body ended on July 19, 2009, when a child's remains were found in a wooded area in rural Ontario and were immediately believed to be those of Tori Stafford. This was confirmed in a news conference held July 21, 2009. The police response to the situation as it developed and their lack of calling an Amber Alert has been criticized by the public, and has recently been the focus of a review of the Amber Alert system in Canada.[3] The circumstances of her death were a mystery until a publication ban was lifted in December 2010.[4]
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She was seen for the last time at about 3:32 pm Wednesday April 8, 2009 on Fyfe Avenue, walking past a high school up the street from Oliver Stephens Public School. She was wearing a black Hannah Montana jacket with a white fur-lined hood, a green shirt, denim skirt, black and white shoes and a purple and pink Bratz bag.[5]
A security video taken from the high school shows her walking with a person of interest. The person of interest is described as a white female aged between 19-25 - 5'1 to 5'2 tall and weighing approximately 120-125 lbs with straight long black hair worn in a pony tail. She was wearing tight black jeans and a white puffy jacket.[6] The case was later featured on America's Most Wanted.[7]
The initial investigation was led by Oxford Community Police Service, but then turned into a joint operation with the Ontario Provincial Police.
On Tuesday, July 21, 2009, at 9:00 am police confirmed the remains found near Mount Forest, Ontario, approximately 500 meters from Concession Road 6, were that of Tori.[8] Video[9] and photographs[10] of the scene where the remains were discovered match satellite imagery for the co-ordinates 43.961577, -80.660334
On May 20, 2009, police charged Michael Thomas Rafferty, 28, with first degree murder and Terri-Lynne McClintic, 18, with being an accessory to murder (in addition to lesser charges) in the abduction and suspected murder of Tori.[11] Ontario Provincial Police indicated that Tori's mother, Tara McDonald, was familiar with McClintic.[12] McClintic assisted the police search for the remains of Tori Stafford after her arrest[13] and her lawyer stated that her client "wants Tori's family to know she is trying hard to find her body."[13]
On May 28, 2009, McClintic's accessory charge was altered to a murder charge. Abduction charges against McClintic and Rafferty were altered to unlawful confinement charges. The co-accused will be tried separately on charges of 1st-degree murder and unlawful confinement.[14]
McClintic will go directly to trial.[15] She was scheduled to make an appearance in court on April 30, 2010 but a publication ban was imposed by the judge on the events of the day.[16] The publication ban was lifted on December 9, 2010 revealing that Terri-Lynne McClintic pleaded guilty to first degree murder. [17]
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