Rafferty convicted on all counts
Siobhan Morris, 610 CKTB News
5/11/2012
Michael Rafferty has been convicted on all counts in the death of Tori Stafford.
After a day & a half of deliberations, a jury found Rafferty guilty of 1st degree murder, sexual assault causing bodily harm & kidnapping.
31-year old Rafferty, had pleaded not guilty to all charges in Tori's April 2009 death.
After 10 weeks of often graphic & disturbing evidence, the panel of 9 women & 3 men on delivered their verdict about 9:15pm Friday. Rafferty showed no emotion as the decision was handed down.
The Crown alleges Rafferty & Terri-Lynne McClintic snatched Stafford from outside her Woodstock school, then drove to a rural area where the girl was raped & killed.
McClintic, who pleaded guilty 2 years ago to 1st degree murder, initially told police Rafferty killed the girl, but testified at his trial that she delivered the fatal blows.
Rafferty's murder conviction means an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years. He'll be sentenced on the other charges on Tuesday where Tori's family will have the chance to read witness impact statements.