8 Year Old Victoria “Tori” Stafford Missing Since 4/8/09 in Ontario, Canada

[Northern Rose]

Search for remains, evidence still on

Wed, June 24, 2009

Police say 80 to 100 officers remain on the case, even though two suspects are in custody, charged with the Grade 3 pupil's abduction and murder

Police have not scaled back their investigation into the abduction and killing of Victoria (Tori) Stafford, although the search for her remains has ended in Wellington County, a police spokesperson said yesterday.

Despite the fading media and public interest in the case, 80 to 100 officers remain on the hunt for evidence and the girl's remains, said Oxford Community police Const. Laurie-Anne Maitland.

"A lot of people have said the investigation must be scaling down. We are still there," she said.

Tips are still coming into police about Tori's remains, the accused and the abduction, with the number reaching 5,134 at last count a week ago, Maitland said.

Since the arrests of two people May 20, police have searched fields, dumpsters and roadsides in the Woodstock, Guelph and Fergus areas.

Most recently and for several weeks, investigators focused their search in Wellington County.

But now investigators are reacting to the different tips that come in, wherever those tips send them, and not focusing on a specific area, Maitland said yesterday.

"We are looking for anything that will help us find the remains of Victoria Stafford."

The Grade 3 pupil at Oliver Stephens public school in Woodstock was last seen after dismissal April 8.

Two Woodstock people are charged with her abduction and murder -- Michael Thomas Rafferty, 28, and Terri-Lynne McClintic, 18.

McClintic made an appearance in court yesterday via video from the Elgin Middlesex Detention Centre.

Her case was put over until Aug. 12 after the Crown and defence sought more time to sift through the evidence.

Rafferty last appeared in court on June 12 via video and is due to return to court July 17.

http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Local/2009/06/24/9908766-sun.html

[Northern Rose]

McClintic still has 'frequent contact' with cops
Posted By Bruce Urquhart, SENTINEL-REVIEW
The lawyer for the young woman accused of killing Victoria "Tori" Stafford doesn't expect to set a trial date any time in the near future.

Since Terri-Lynne McClintic's May court appearance, lawyer Jeanine LeRoy has received roughly 300 gigabytes of disclosed evidence -- the equivalent of 300 hours of raw video footage -- but she expects much more in the coming weeks.

"I'm expecting upwards of 700 gigabytes," she said following McClintic's Tuesday court appearance. "I've got a lot of reading to do."

McClintic, appearing in court by video from the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre, said nothing as LeRoy and Crown attorney Geoff Beasley discussed an appropriate date for her next appearance. Beasley, a London-based Crown attorney and the general director for the area, suggested an Aug. 12 date to give LeRoy ample opportunity to review the forthcoming evidence.

"The reason for the lengthy adjournment is for (LeRoy) to come to grips with the substantial amount of information she is about to receive," Beasley said.

While LeRoy declined to comment on her client's state of mind, she did say McClintic still had "frequent contact" with officers involved in the ongoing search for Tori's remains.

"But there hasn't been another judge's order" allowing McClintic to be present to assist in the search, LeRoy said.

While originally charged with abduction and being an accessory after the fact, McClintic's charges were upgraded to kidnapping and first-degree murder at her May 28 court appearance.

McClintic, 18, is alleged to be the woman shown walking with Tori in the grainy video footage that became a critical piece of evidence in the OPP-Oxford Community Police Service investigation. McClintic and 28-year-old Michael Rafferty, the man also accused of kidnapping and murdering the little Woodstock girl, were arrested on May 19, almost six weeks after Tori disappeared.

OCPS Const. Laurie-Anne Maitland, the spokesperson for the investigation, said Tuesday that investigators continued to search the Wellington County area for Tori's remains while other officers were "actively following up on the tips."

"This is massive," Maitland said. "We're utilizing all available resources."

http://www.oxfordreview.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1627467

[Northern Rose]

Ministry brings in help for Crown
Posted By Bruce Urquhart, SENTINEL-REVIEW
Posted 7 hours ago

Oxford's Crown attorney will now be working full time preparing the prosecution's case against the man accused of kidnapping and murdering Victoria "Tori" Stafford.

Crown attorney Brian Crockett and assistant Crown attorney Michael Carnegie have been "assigned full time to the Tori Stafford case," confirmed Brendan Crawley, a spokesperson for the Ministry of the Attorney General. Because of the preparation time needed in the case -- and the mountains of evidence from the ongoing police investigation -- the assignation of the two prosecutors is not unusual.

With the preliminary hearing not expected until early next year -- and Michael Rafferty's trial some time after that -- Brendan Evans, a senior assistant Crown attorney from the London office, has been temporarily assigned to Oxford as its acting Crown.

"A second (assistant) Crown attorney will be brought in to help with the regular workload," Crawley said.

The Crown attorney's office declined to comment Thursday on these staffing arrangements.

The amount of evidence to date in the Rafferty case is already staggering. Defence lawyer Hal Mattson told the Sentinel-Review in mid-June that his office had received about 300 gigabytes of disclosed evidence and expected several hundred more.

"We can't move the file forward until (we receive) all the disclosure," Mattson said at the time.

Rafferty, 28, was arrested on May 19, almost six weeks after Tori was abducted. The eight-year-old girl was last seen walking north along Fyfe Avenue with a dark-haired young woman shortly after leaving Oliver Stephens Public School at 3:30 p.m. Rafferty's next court appearance is scheduled for July 17 while 19-year-old Terri-Lynne McClintic, the young woman also accused of Tori's kidnapping and murder, is next set to appear on August 12.

Police continue to search for Tori's body.

http://www.oxfordreview.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1631622

[no rose colored glasses]

Thanks for all the updates Northern Rose, I so hope they find her little body 

[can]

Thanks Northern Rose.  What a sin that Tori has not been found!

[Northern Rose]

Thanks for all the updates Northern Rose, I so hope they find her little body 

It is sad that the news does not report as much as they did.  I wish it was on every night just so people would still help with searching their property and looking for the seat.

[Tracygirl]

I pray everyday they find this child so she can be laid to rest  properly. God I pray that you send your angels to help guide the searchers to where Tori is. Please god I beg of you to allow this family to bury their child.


I still say they should allow the family to get  Rafferty alone for 5 minutes. He would be talking....

[Edward]

I have been amazed at how much they have searched. Very dedicated Police who perform all searches themselves..

 Still Canada is a big place... and they have not considered that the boy may have taken her to somebody ? sold her ? For Money or to pay back debt he owes..
The girl that walked Tori to the car does not seem to know anything for sure ?

I vote for water boarding.. Depressing to not see them solve this quickly.

I do not trust the person who brought the mom in the limo for some reason, prolly becaus the action looks so odd..


 

[Edward]

Missing child ..Cedrika Provencher 2007




http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20080727/cedrika_anniv_080727?hub=OttawaHome

Cedrika Provencher's thread at Scared Monkeys:
http://scaredmonkeys.net/index.php?topic=1970.40
There are references there about Tori's case also.

[Northern Rose]

Fundraiser in memory of Tori Stafford

A fundraiser for Child Find Ontario in memory of Victoria (Tori) Stafford will be held on Saturday at the Brantford Air Force Club, 144 Grey St., starting at noon.

Admission for adults is $10. Children are admitted free when accompanied by an adult.

Activities include a dunk tank, barbecue, face painting and raffles of gift baskets from local merchants. A city police officer will be on hand with fingerprinting kits during the afternoon.

Outdoor events run from noon to 6 p. m. Local musicians and entertainers will perform outside from noon to 6 p. m. and inside from noon to 1 a. m.

Event organizer Shelley Norton said that the disappearance and slaying of the eight-year-old Woodstock girl "hit close to home."

As a result, Norton and her friend Elaine McCabe, who helped organize the candlelight vigil for Stafford in Harmony Square in April, decided to put together a fundraiser for the group dedicated to children's safety.

http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1635010

[Northern Rose]

Remains found on riverbank determined to be animal

July 03, 2009
Mercury Staff

FERGUS

Police were called to a riverbank on Blair Street in Fergus yesterday after remains, at first thought to be human, were found just south of an autobody shop and the Royal Canadian Legion. After investigating, OPP determined the remains were that of an animal. Tall, thick grass where the animal was found was matted down after several police vehicles parked on the shoulder of the road as the investigation took place. Police continue to search for the body of eight-year-old Tori Stafford of Woodstock. Nearly six weeks after Tori went missing, Michael Rafferty, 28, and his girlfriend Terri-Lynne McClintic, 19, were charged with the kidnapping and murder of Tori. In the days following her arrest, McClintic helped police unsuccessfully search Wellington County, where she believes she and Rafferty buried the body.

http://news.guelphmercury.com/News/article/503805

[Northern Rose]

Child Find To Host Benefit In Memory of Tori

A fundraiser is in the works at Child Find Ontario in the memory of Victoria Stafford. Organizer Shelley Norton says Tori's disappearance and death hit close to home and she wanted to do something for children's safety. The fundraiser is scheduled for tomorrow at the Brantford Air Force Club starting at noon and going until 1am. There are activities throughout the day with admission set at $10 for adults and free for children accompanied by an adult.

http://cd989.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=16859

[Northern Rose]

Three Months Since Tori DisappearedUpdated Wed. Jul. 08 2009 8:04 AM ET

Today marks three months since eight-year-old Tori Stafford vanished from outside her Woodstock elementary school.
Oxford Community Police and the OPP have yet to locate Tori's remains.
Her two alleged abductors, Terry-Lynn McClintic and Michael Thomas Rafferty are currently behind bars at the London-Middlesex Detention Centre.
They face charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping.
Next Wednesday would have been Tori's ninth birthday.

http://southwesternontario.ctv.ca/news.php?id=5105

[Northern Rose]

Remembering Victoria Stafford
 | Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 5:06 am

Today marks a grim anniversary-it has been three months since Tori Stafford vanished from her school in Woodstock.

The eight year old's remains have still not been found, but two people have been charged in connection with her abduction.
Her alleged abductors, Terry Lynn McClintic and Michael Thomas Rafferty face charges of first degree murder and kidnapping.   
Tori would have turned nine next Wednesday.

http://www.570news.com/news/local/more.jsp?content=20090708_050605_6136

[Northern Rose]

No sign of Tori 3 months after disappearance
Jul 08, 2009 11:16 AM
THE CANADIAN PRESS

WOODSTOCK, Ont. – It was three months ago today that eight-year-old Tori Stafford vanished without a trace in Woodstock, Ont.

On April 8th, a massive search of the community began after Tori was last seen leaving her school with a mystery woman.

Police now allege that woman may have been one of two people charged with the girl's kidnapping and murder.

Terri-Lynne McClintic, 19, and Michael Thomas Rafferty, 26, remain in custody at the London-Middlesex Detention Centre.

Rafferty's next court appearance is set for July 17 in Woodstock while McClintic is scheduled to next appear in court on August 14.

Police have not yet found any trace of Tori, who would have turned nine a week from today.

http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/662765

[no rose colored glasses]

How very sad 

[Edward]

This is beyond belief.. They have HER and HIM ... WHY is it, they do not have TORI ?

If I was a cop I would be arrested at this point for beating him senseless daily to get an answer.

[Northern Rose]

This is beyond belief.. They have HER and HIM ... WHY is it, they do not have TORI ?

If I was a cop I would be arrested at this point for beating him senseless daily to get an answer.

IMO the uncle should have not been restrained the day they were moving him from the courthouse.  I think the uncle would have gotten the information on the location by now.

[Northern Rose]

After three months police still searching for Tori


Three months have passed since Victoria "Tori" Stafford disappeared from a quiet city street, but police have not slowed in their search for her remains.

While family and friends continue to mourn the eight-year-old -- she would have turned nine next week -- the OPP's emergency response team continues to scour the woodlands and fields in the Fergus area. Despite the massive search area -- Wellington County is almost 2,700 square kilometres -- these officers are still intent on finding Tori, police spokesperson Const. Laurie-Anne Maitland said Wednesday.

"We've certainly not scaled down the investigation,' Maitland said. "The investigation is still a top priority."

Other officers in this joint OPP-Oxford Community Police Service investigation continue to search the region for physical evidence while following up on the almost 5,300 tips received from the public.

"The investigators are still working as diligently as they can, as is the support staff," Maitland said. "Everything is where it was."

As investigators continue to search, the two people accused of the little girl's kidnapping and murder -- 28-year-old Michael Rafferty and 19-year-old Terri-Lynne McClintic -- are being held at the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre while awaiting trial. Both have made a handful of court appearances since their May 19 arrests for Tori's murder but their lawyers don't expect the actual trial until some time in 2010.

The eight-year-old girl was last seen on April 8 walking north along Fyfe Avenue with a dark-haired young woman shortly after leaving Oliver Stephens Public School at 3:30 p.m. Rafferty's next court appearance is scheduled for July 17 while McClintic is next set to appear on August 12.

http://woodstocksentinelreview.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1648723

[canadianmonkey]

Rodney Stafford plans to bike across Canada for Tori
Posted By KRISTA SEGGEWISS
Posted 4 hours ago
 

He's a father who wants to make the world a better place for children.

Rodney Stafford plans to bike 3,453 kilometres across Canada to raise money for Child Find Ontario.

"It's all in memory of Victoria," said Stafford.

The "Kilometres for Kids" fundraiser will kick off Aug. 1 with an event at the Oxford Auditorium. The next day, Stafford will set out for Edmonton on his bike.

"I've got it slated so that there will be eight stops along the way to Edmonton," he said.

The stops will be fundraising events for Child Find Ontario. Tori's aunt Rebecca Stafford is organizing one in Edmonton and several families are working on fundraisers in Barrie and Sudbury, he said.

Stafford is looking for local sponsors to pledge 1-cent or 10-cents a kilometre in exchange for company names and logos on "Kilometres for Kids" T-shirts. He's also hoping someone will donate a bike that's capable of a cross-Canada trek.

Stafford aims to reach Edmonton by Sept. 2.

http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1649704