The Monster of Crowsnest Pass - Derek Saretzky

disappearance of his two year old daughter. What started as separate investigations quickly merged into one of the most disturbing criminal cases the area had ever seen, and as police searched for a missing child under a multi province hamber alert, they soon also uncovered tips and evidence that pointed to a perpetrator within the very family of those who called in the tips. This is a story of murder and abduction. This is the story of the monster known as Derek Sureski.

yellow in the trees. Nights also came a little earlier in the air well it felt sharper. It had that familiar autumn scent that was beginning to linger just a bit in the mornings. Winter was still a ways away, and everyone who lived there knew it was coming, though, but life in the past it still moved at a casual pace. Most people knew their neighbors and recognized each other's vehicles. They ran into the same faces at the

grocery store, in the gas station and local restaurants. News here had a habit of traveling very quickly, usually through conversations rather than headlines. For families, routines were simple and very predictable. Parents worked their shifts and kids were settling back into daycare or preschool. Evenings were spent cooking dinner,

watching television, or walking dogs before dark. Weekends this time of year meant people were getting ready for things like hunting season, and still enjoying backyard barbecues and drives through the mountains. It was the kind of place where nothing much seemed to change from one week to the next. In blairmore small rental homes and modest houses lined quiet streets, and in Coleman, older trailers and cottages sat closer together, many of them owned by people who had lived there

for decades. These weren't towns were people expected surprises. Serious crimes were extremely rare, and most problems were handled with a simple phone call or a conversation, or even a knock on the neighbor's door. By early September, children were getting into their new school schedules, parents were adjusting their routines, and summer vacation was officially over. Life was settling back

into that familiar rhythm. No one knew that within days that rhythm would be shattered, that police car search teams and national news media crews would soon be filling their streets. At the time, it was just another quiet stretch of late summer in the small Canadian community where people went to work, took care of their families, and assumed tomorrow would look a lot like it did today. It was

the evening of September ninth, twenty fifteen. Not The small town of Coleman, Alberta, was quiet in a way it usually was. With a population of only a few hundred people, most residents knew each other by name. Hannah Mattek lived in Coleman for years. She was sixty nine years old and well known in the community. Originally from Copenhagen, she had built a quiet life in southern Alberta, and she was known for being independent, strong willed, and involved in

local activities. She worked at a thrift store, helped others when she could, and she earned a reputation as someone who didn't shy away from speaking her mind. Friends and neighbors described her as kind but also tough, especially when she felt that she was being treated unfairly. But essentially, what they're saying is she's the kind of person we all hope to be when we start growing a little older.

and attacked. According to the medical examiner's findings, Hannah suffered multiple blunt force injuries to her head. Investigators believed that she had likely been struck with a heavy object, possibly a baseball bat, and in addition to her head injuries, she was stabbed twice in the neck and had superficial cuts across her throat. There was also defensive wounds present on her hands and arms, which indicated that she tried to fight back against whoever this was that it entered

her home. Blood was all throughout the layout of her home and of the scene. It suggested a very vicious struggle rather than a quick and controlled attack. Nothing of value appeared to be taken. There were no signs of theft, no indication that robbery had been a motive. Nothing like that. Some time later, after the attack, a neighbor noticed that

something was wrong. On the morning of September tenth. The neighbor saw that the door to Hannah's trailer was left open, which was unusual, so concerned that something might be wrong, they contacted police, and when officers arrived and entered the home, they discovered Hannah's body inside, along with the horrific bloody scene. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police or the RCMP, secured the

area and forensic teams were quickly called in. They documented the damage to the door, the blood pattern inside the trailer, and the position of Hannah's body. The sheer brutality of the assault alone stood out immediately. Even the experienced officers on scene had a little trouble with this despite it, Although their efforts everything, they couldn't do much. There was no obvious suspect. It didn't lead anywhere right away. Hannah

had lived alone, she had known enemies. There was no clear personal dispute that explained what had happened.

and no clear motive that had been identified. So without a suspect or a clear direction, investigators focused on processing the crime scene and collecting every possible detail and preserving what they could so that it might be used later when they do find a suspect. In the days that followed, officers continued working the case quietly, but no one knew yet that this would be only the first part of

something much larger. At this point, Hannah's murderer stood alone, but within five days that would change.

Blenchett's home were awakened by an unfamiliar sound. One resident later told police that he heard what sounded like metal being struck or kicked, possibly sheets of roofing material that had been stacked nearby. Others reported hearing noise coming from the alley behind the houses, and when some of them looked outside, they noticed a white commercial style van parked.

child crying or maybe whimpering. The noise was faint but noticeable in the stillness of the early morning. Some witnesses believe they may have heard an adult voice as well, possibly trying to calm the child, though no one could be certain now at the time that this was actually happening, there was no clear reason to be believe that a serious crime was taking place. Blairmore was considered a very safe community. Strange noises could be explained by many ordinary situations.

You know, someone leaving for work, early vehicle problems, or maybe a late night delivery. Who knows. This is a plethora of different things, and without any obvious signs of danger or concern, people simply just went back to sleep. Some witnesses did say they saw the van leave the area, though several later told police that it drove away quickly heading west. One neighbor noticed that the vehicle had an unusual antenna described as a buggy whip style antenna on

the back of the van with a blue tip. At approximately three point thirty one am, surveillance footage from the Best Canadian Motor Inn captured a white van traveling westbound on twentieth Avenue two. The vehicle it matched the general description given by witnesses. An additional footage from a gas station in the town of Coleman had also recorded a similar van days earlier, near the time of Hannah's murder.

Later on that same morning, William Blanchett was driving through the Crow's Nest pass on his way from Elkford, British Columbia, to Calgary, Alberta, where he was planning to have some work done in his vehicle. As he passed through Blairmore, he decided to stop and visit his son and granddaughter. Now, William had often helped care for his granddaughter Haley while his son, Terry was at work, and the two stayed

in very close contact. When William arrived at Terry's home, he saw his son's car parked in the driveway, which made him assume that Terry and Haley were, of course inside, so he walked up to the front door and he knocked, expecting to be let in, but there was no answer. He sent Terry a text message to let him know he was there, and after waiting briefly and not receiving any reply, he assumed that he might have just stepped

out and decided to continue on his way. So William drove to the neighboring community of frank to get some fuel. While at the gas station, though he tried to call Terry several times, but each call went straight to voicemail. Now this began to worry him. Terry was usually quick to answer or return some calls, and, combined with the unusual unanswered, knocked the door with his car in the driveway in the lack of response. All of this just made William uneasy, and he decided to return to the

house to check again. When he drove back to Terry's home, he noticed that the front door was left unlocked. Now, Terry often left it that way. That was nothing unusual, even just when leaving briefly sort of thing right. And the unlocked door, now, though, it added a little bit of a more another layer to this. If he were to just, you know what, have an unlocked door, that's one thing. But he's not answering the door. He's not answering calls, and there's an unlocked door. Things started to

not feel right every time something else popped up. He opened the door and went inside and immediately noticed how quiet the house was. Now with a two year old living there, the home was rarely completely silent. He called out Terry, and then he called out to Haley, but there was no one that responded. As he walked through

the main floor, William began to notice some things. He saw Terry's comforter lying on the floor, between the bedroom and the bathroom, and he noticed what appeared to be blood on parts of the kitchen floor and nearby surfaces. There were signs that something had clearly happened, although he did not yet understand what he was seeing. With each step through the house, his concern grew more and more.

He continued towards the bathroom, which was dark, and when he turned on the light, that's when he saw his son lying on the floor between the toilet and the vanity. Terry's body was partially wrapped in a blood soaked blanket, and there was blood on the floor and surrounding area. It was obvious right away that Terry had suffered a serious head injury, but worse of as William stared down at him, he saw that his son's throat had been cut.

he found that her crib was empty. The bedding, blankets, pillows, and toys were usually inside, but they were missing too, and he also noticed blood on the bedroom door and on one of her dolls, as well as bloody footprints on the stairs and parts of the floor. In that instant, it was clear to William that Haley had been taken. At approximately eleven ti twelve am, William dialed nine one one and reported what he had found.

then pulled through the house. Investigators also documented the blood evidence in Haley's room, including stains on her crib, personal belongings, all which suggested that whoever had taken her had blood on their hands and clothing at the time, which means it was the same person who had killed Terry. Within hours, the house was declared a major crime scene and RCMP Major Crimes Unit investigators based in Calgary were contacted and

dispatched to Blairmore. By the afternoon, police began canvassing nearby homes, speaking with neighbors and checking whether anyone had seen Haley that morning. Officers were going door to door asking if anyone heard unusual noises or anything that had happened overnight seen suspicious activity. They also checked with friends, family members, and child care contacts to rule out the possibility that Hayley had been picked up by someone that she knew now.

At the same time, officers worked to contact information for Haley's mother, Cheyenne Dunbar, who was living in Edmonton at the time. Investigators soon learned that Cheyenne had not been seen or spoken to Terry or Haley that morning and had no idea that anything was wrong. She was, of course shattered to learn that her daughter was missing and

that Terry had been killed. She was heartbroken, but she also immediately began cooperating with investigators and provided any information that she could about the custody agreement that she and Terry had. There was recent communications maybe you know what, maybe whatever, who might have access to Terry's home, things like that she's trying to share, and as evidence continued to be reviewed, police focused on narrowing down the likely

time frame of the abduction. Based on witness statements and early findings, They determined that Haley had most likely been taken from the home at approximately three point thirty am, which meant that she'd be missing for several hours before Terry's body had even been discovered, which greatly increased concern for her safety. By two fourteen PM, an Amber alert was issued across the province of Alberta. The alert included a description of Haley, including her age and the fact

that she'd been abducted from her home. The Amber Alert also asked the public to report any sightings immediately and warned and also warned them that she might be in danger now. Given Blair Moore's location near the British Columbia border and its proximity to major highways leading south, police feared that whoever had taken Haley could attempt to flee the area, and an hour later, at three point fifteen pm, the Amber Alert was expanded into British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and

the United State of Montana. Since Haley was abducted during the night, police were faced with a possibility that she could be already hundreds of kilometers away, so URCMP officers worked urgently to piece anything they could together, any information that might indicate how she been taken, where she might

be taken and now. Witness statements collected earlier from the day had neighbors mentioning that they saw that white van in the area, those noises during the early mornings, those sort of things, and investigators reviewed these accounts carefully and started comparing them to each other in order to determine whatever they were describing to see if it was the same vehicle in the same incident, and it seemed very

much so like they were. They saw a white commercial style van leaving the area at around three thirty am at a high rate of speed, with a large antenna on the back with something blue on the end. Although no one had managed to record a license plate number,

the consistency of the details suggested everything was connected. Based on this information, RCMP updated the Amber alert to include a description of the suspected vehicle and the public was asked to watch out for it and report any sightings immediately. Investigators also began reviewing available surveillance footage from businesses and

hotels in the area. This is, of course, when they found the CCTV footage showing the white van traveling westbound at approximately three thins one on the morning of the abduction, as well as the one recorded earlier in the day that also showed a similar van in the area around the time of Hanna's murder. Although this connection was not publicly discussed at the time, it was noted by investigators

and was added to the growing file of evidence. Now, as the Amber alert spread, tips began to pour in. RCMP dispatch centers received calls from people who thought they had seen similar vehicles on highways and parking lots and at rest stops, and of course all of them had to be checked out. Search teams were also deployed throughout the region. Officers, volunteers, search and rescue personnel checked wooded areas,

rural roads, abandoned buildings and campsites. Helicopters and areily units had been up in the air to scan remote terrain in what would have been very difficult areas to access on foot. The rugged geography of the Crow's Nest Pass made the search especially challenging, as large areas of forest and mountain trains surrounded the communities now. Meanwhile, anxiety continued to grow amongst the residents. Parents kept their children indoors.

Schools and businesses began discussing safety measures, and many people followed news updates very closely throughout the day and the night.

and helping in any way they can. Now in Blairmore, there was one business that would stand out amongst this case. It was called Prestige Cleaners. It was a family owned dry cleaning business that had operated in the community for decades, and they owned several white commercial vans that were used for deliveries. Now, these vehicles actually matched the description provided by witnesses, including the distinctive antenna mounted on the back.

The business was owned by brothers Kevin and Larry Siretsky, who had taken over operations from their parents after years of working in the family company. Now, as news of the Amber alerts spread through the town, Kevin and Larry heard descriptions of the van police were looking for, and so they went to take a look at the ones that they owned, and that's when they realized that one

of their company vehicles fit the profile almost exactly. This realization prompted them to check their fleet records and inspect the vehicles a little more closely. And when they reviewed their logs, they noticed something troubling. One of the vans had been used for deliveries on September eleventh, twenty fifteen, and it so dominant reading had been recorded at that

time and was standard practice for the business. When they checked the same van after hearing about the abduction, though, the odometer showed additional kilometers that could not be explained by any authorized use. Now, the Shiretzki family were very much so aware that Larry Siretzky's son Derek had a history of using company vehicles without authorization.

van and the unexpected mileage. They also gave investigators permission to seize and examine the vehicle as part of the investigation, and, as it would turn out, their cooperation provided police with their first solid physical lead.

someone had stepped in blood inside the vehicle. Investigators also noticed the floor mats from the rear section of the van were missing too.

child or evidence that might explain her disappearance. From the moment they began searching, it became clear that the apartment contained potential evidence. Investigators noticed what appeared to be blood on the inside doorknob of the front entrance, as well as droplets on the floor or leading into the living room. Additional stains were found on walls and nearby staircases leading to the second floor. In the upstairs bathroom, police located

blood on a cupboard and nearby surfaces. During the search, officers also discovered latex gloves that appeared to have blood stains, along with a pair of boots that were found to have containing human blood on them too. Several tools and weapons were also located in the apartment, including a hatchet, box cutters, and multiple knives. Police also found books related to cannibalism, serial killers, medical anatomy, and violent crime, which were noted and cataloged as part of the investigation.

but so were Quote, the Hideous Baby, and Shy. Now Shy likely refers to Cheyenne, who was very much so alive and was Haley's mother, But as for the rest, well, let's just keep talking.

and withdrawn, someone who largely kept to himself. He also had a history of minor criminal charges, though including breaking and entering in possession of stolen property, and he was unemployed at the time of the murders. He seemed to be a young man who was struggling to find his stability in his life, and by the end of September fifteenth, it was obvious to investigators that they were no longer

dealing with circumstantial concerns or vague suspicions. Even so, Haley, the most important piece of the puzzle while she currently had still not been found. Now, while investigators were processing all the evidence and building the case and searching for Haley, an unexpected development was unfolding. A new lead came in from another member of Derek's family who had noticed something

disturbing on some private property. It was on September fifteenth when Shane Suretsky, Derrek's cousin, returned to a family owned ranch property near the Crow's Nest passed after being away for several days. The property had been used by members of the Suretzky family for camping, hunting, and recreational purposes for years. It was remote, surrounded by trees and very rugged terrain, and rarely visited by anyone outside the family. When Shane arrived at the site, he noticed something that

almost immediately struck him as wrong. Near one of the campsites, a fire pit appeared to have been recently used, which was unusual. There was no one who was supposed to have been there staying at the ranch at that time.

The fire pit even still contained warm ashes and freshly burnt debris, suggesting the fire had been burning there not long before he had arrived, and as he looked closer that the remains of the fire, Shane noticed something in the ashes, something that didn't resemble ordinary treeh being burned or would. Amongst the burnt material, he saw what appeared

to be small bones and pieces of fabric. Given the ongoing search for Haley in the widespread media coverage, Shane immediately thought about the possibility of what that fire pit could contain, and rather than disturbing anything, he immediately contacted authorities. RCMP officers were dispatched to the ranch and arrived shortly after receiving the call. Now, while all this was going down, Derek was being held for questioning in relation to Terry's

death and Hailey's disappearance. By this point, police had already gathered substantial physical evidence linking him to the case, but they still needed to establish exactly what had happened.

the devil. It was very clear that Derek was suffering from some sort of mental struggles, but investigators worked carefully with him and the questioning continued. Now, Derek gradually began to break down and in tears. At one point, with an investigator kneeling in front of him encouraging him to speak, he acknowledged his involvement in the crimes. He admitted that he entered Terry Blanchette's home during the night of September fourteenth,

using forced entry to gain access. According to his statements, he attacked Terry with a blunt object later identified as a crowbar, and then he proceeded to slit his throat. After killing Terry, he abducted Hailey from the home and placed her in the white van belonging to Prestige Cleaners. Derek told investigators that he drove Hailey to the family owned ranch property in the Crow's Nest pass. He described taking her to a campsite that he was familiar with

from previous visits. But the thing is he didn't just tell them. Investigators asked him to lead them to the site, and he did exactly that. They arrived at the property where police were already beginning to investigate the scene from the tip off from Derek's cousin. There, he walked them through the property and stopped next to the fire pit, looking at the smoldering embers. He said there he had built a fire and next admitted to killing Haley by

strangling her to death. Afterwards, he said he dismembered her body there by the fire, collected her blood in a plastic container, and burned her remains, And there he stood next to the flames as they were burning Haley's body, and Derek admitted to drinking her blood in order to gain a little bit of her energy. He also explained that he had returned to his apartment after the crimes and attempted to clean himself up as well as his belongings.

As part of his confession, Derek also described the weapons he had used, and throughout the whole time, Derek appeared detached and unemotional. At other times he became very agitated or spoke in those religious or symbolic type languages, speaking just talking about God and the devil and being controlled in what they were doing. It wasn't him, it was them, and investigators documented these changes very carefully, very aware that his mental state would certainly become a very important issue

in court proceedings. By the end of the interviews, police had obtained a detailed account of how Derek had moved from Terry's home to the ranch property, and what he had done at each location, and how he had attempted to cover up his actions.

And as investigators sifted through the ashes, which were still warm, one investigator reportedly even burning his hand collecting pieces out of the fire, their fears were confirmed. They recovered several bone fragments that appeared to be from a child. They recovered pieces of burned clothing and other materials that suggested human remains had been present in the fire. Forensic teams worked for hours to collect every fragment that they could teeth,

rib bones, femurs, broken pieces. They recovered everything. Now, police still hadn't made a public announcement about the discovery. They first needed to confirm the identity of the remains through forensic testing and notify Hailey's family before releasing any information. However, unfortunately DNA testing was not available through these bones, they were burnt far too much and they could not confirm

the identity of Haley. However, through the confession through Derek leading them there, they were able to confidently say that it was in fact her.

not far from Terry Blanchett's home. Community members brought candles, flowers, and handwritten messages. Parents stood with their children, neighbors stood with neighbors and strangers comforted one another. Shortly after nine pm, RCMP Victims Services representatives arrived at the vigil looking for

Haley's mother. It was there that they informed her and Hailey's family that they had located her remains earlier that day at her rural property near Blairmore words spread quietly through the crowd, and within minutes almost everyone was in tears.

been found in a rural location near Blairmore. He explained that the discovery had been made during a police search based on information obtained through the investigation, that the scene had been secured and forensic teams were processing the area. He also confirmed that the public was no longer being asked to look for a white van and that the

Amber alert had officially been called off. At the same time, he made it very clear that many details would not be released immediately, as the investigation was still ongoing and charges had not yet been finalized. At that point. He did say a male suspect who had been arrested earlier in the day remained in police custody and was being questioned.

He said his identity would be made public Once those formal charges were officially laid, and for Haley's mother, Cheyenne Dunbar, and for Terry's family, the announcement marked the end of any remaining hope that she would be returned safely. Within hours, messages of sympathy began appearing online and in local memorials. Flowers and stuffed animals were placed near Terry's home and

in public spaces throughout the region. On September sixteenth, twenty fifteen, RCMP formally charged Derek Seretsky with two counts of first degree murder in the death of Terry Blanchette and Haley Dunbar Blanchett. Police stated that they believed the murders had been planned, and his identity was released to public for the first time, ending days of speculation. Now, while Derek had provided a general account of what he claimed had happened,

police could not rely on his statements alone. Every detail needed to be verified independently, and forensic teams conducted an extensive examination of everything they could. They found that the blood found in the home, the van on tools, and items in Derek's home were consistent with both Terry and Haley's DNA. Scientific evidence removed any doubt that the crimes were connected and committed by the same person. Now, while all of this had come to lights, another question began

to be asked. Five days before Terry was murdered and Haley was kidnapped and murdered, a sixty nine year old woman named Hannah MacTech had been found dead in her home in Coleman and nearby community in the Crow's Nest past. At the time, her death had been treated as a separate case with no obvious connection to anyone or anything, But now the question was could Derek be responsible for this as well? Now, Hannah lived alone and was known

in the community as quiet and an independent woman. But she had strong personality and according to people who knew her, she was not easily intimidated, and on the morning of September ninth, twenty fifteen, she was found dead in her home after neighbors became concerned and contacted police. Officers who responded discovered that she had been violently attacked, and an autopsy later revealed that Hannah had suffered five blunt force injuries to the head and two stab wounds to the

neck and superficial cutzecaw across her throat. Now, the combination of blunt force and sharp force injuries immediately suggested the attack had been personal or very intense at the very least, and at first police had few solid leads when this occurred. However, when Terry was found murdered and Hailey disappeared on September fourteenth, resources were immediately redirected because finding a missing child while it became top priority, and so Hannah's murder investigation was

put on hold. But after Derek was arrested and her remains were discovered, while the team returned to Hannah's case with a fresh perspective, the similarities between the two scenes stood out almost immediately. Terry had been beaten and stabbed, Hannah had been beaten and stabbed. Both attacks involved extreme violence, and both appeared to have been carried out by someone

willing to take very significant risks. A major breakthrough in the potential correlation came on September twenty fourth, when officers reviewed a photograph taken inside Derek's apartment. The photo showed a handwritten list, a handwritten list that we already talked about. It said, medicine fresh. It followed several crossed out entries, and among them were the names of Hannah, Terry, and quote the Hideous Baby, which investigators were believed referred to Haley.

This indicated that Derek was in fact responsible for Hannah's death too, and that he had been thinking about his victims ahead of time, and that may he may be you know what, tracking his actions for investigators. This document was one of the strongest pieces of evidence tying him to all three of the killings. The police also learned that Hannah lived next door to Derek's grandparents, which placed him in close proximity to her home and gave him reason to be in the area without raising any sort

of suspicion. During later interviews, Derek would ultimately admit to killing Hannah as well. He told police he broke into her home, struck her with a baseball bat, and stabbed her, and when he was asked directly whether this murder was kind of a practice for whatever he was going to do later to Terry and Haley, he replied that it was. He directly acknowledged that he'd used his first killing to build confidence for others.

a turn. Derek was rushed from the Lethbridge Correctional Center to hospital after suffering a medical emergency. Sources later reported that he had attempted to take his own life while left alone to shower. He was found by guards and transported to Chinook Regional Hospital, where doctors placed him in a medically induced coma and for a couple days, his condition remained uncertain, but on September twenty fifth, officials confirmed that he had been brought out of the coma and

was recovering under medical supervision. He was eventually returned to custody once doctors determined he was physically stable. Now during this period, reports emerged that Derek had lost a significant amount of weight and appeared increasingly withdrawn. Correctional staff noticed changes in behavior, including long periods of isolation and limited

communication with others. Now, As the case moved forward, defense lawyers began raising concerns about whether Derek was mentally fit to stand trial, and soon the court ordered him to go for a thirty day psychiatric assessment. The goal was determined whether he understood the charges against him and could meaningfully participate in his defense. Psychiatrists evaluated Derek over several weeks, reviewing his medical history, interviewing him directly, and observing his

behavior and custody. During these assessments, he continued to reinforce these religious and supernatural explanations for his actions, repeated peated claims that he'd been influenced by the devil or directed by God. He also spoke about having stopped taking prescribed antipsychotic medications before the killings as well. It was heavy stuff, and the doctors requested the assessment period be extended for

another thirty days, to which the judge approved. Ultimately, on November twenty fifth, twenty fifteen, the court ruled that Derek was in fact mentally fit to stand trial. Medical experts concluded that despite his disturbing statements and past medical health issues, he understood the nature of the proceedings and was capable of working with lawyers now. Although he was deemed fit, questions about his mental states still did not disappear during interviews.

In later testimony, he continued to shift blame towards those outside forces rather than fully accepting his responsibility. At times he expressed regret. At other times, he minimalized his actions or spoke in detached symbolic language. Prosecutors would later argue that these patterns reflected attempts to avoid accountability rather than genuine psychological impairment.

to kind of put that perspective on it. It's like there's two sides to the coin, and no matter what side he's on, he at least understands what's going on around him.

its main face. Now from the onset, it was clear that the case would be emotionally difficult for everyone involved, and prosecutors warned durors that they would be presented with very disturbing evidence, including crime scene photographs, forensic reports, and video recordings of Derek's own statements. The Crown's case focused on building a detailed chronological account of how the three murders unfolded. Prosecutors presented evidence beginning with the death of Hannahmacatech.

Sorry almost got her name wrong there. It's a difficult name to pronounce, so and on September ninth, twenty fifteen, followed by the murder of Terry Blanchette and the abduction of Haley on September fourteenth, saying that the killings were not isolated incidents, but more so instead part of a pattern. Now, one of the most significant pieces of evidence john in court was video of Derek's police interviews and is recorded reenactment at the Rant property.

trying to defend herself. Because of the condition of Haley's remains, a precise cause of death could not be determined, but evidence supported Derek's confession that she had in fact been strangled. What evidence that is I could not find, but apparently quote unquote evidence supported it now. RCMP forensic specialists presented detail findings from the crime scene too and Derek's apartment. They explained how blood pattern showed Terry had been attacked

in his bed, dragged through his house and dena. Evidence linked Haley's blood to Derek's boots, and there were traces of blood on the door handle's floor, clothing, and more, which all helped establish his movements after the murders. Investigators also testified about the discovery of the handwritten list in Derek's apartment. The crown argued that the list showed planning intent and supported the charge of first degree murder. Family members and friends of the victims were called to testify

as well. Cheyenne Dunbar described her relationship with Terry, their shared custody agreement, and her past friendship with Derek. She told the court that she had not been in contact with him for years and had never suspected he was capable of violence. Terry's relatives and friends spoke about his dedication as a father and his efforts to build a stable life for Haley. The defense, on the other hand, didn't dispute that Derek had committed the killings. There was

too much evidence not to mention his recorded confessions. Their strategy instead focused on his mental state now in the courtroom. Derek's lawyers argued that his history of mental illness, medication issues, and unusual beliefs affected his ability to form intent. They suggested that he had been experiencing psychological deterioration in the weeks leading up to the crimes. Psychiatrists and psychologists were both called on both sides to discuss Derek's mental health.

Some experts acknowledged that he had struggled with mental illness. Others testified that despite this, he still understood his actions and their consequences. Throughout the trial, Derek remained mostly quiet. He rarely showed visible emotion and often avoided eye contact with witnesses. Observers noted that there were moments when he appeared very detached and others when he seemed to follow

the testimony extremely closely. By the time the closing arguments approached, jurors had reviewed weeks of testimony, hundreds of exhibits, and hours of recorded footage, and in late June of twenty seventeen, the jury was given its final instructions by Justice William Tilleman and sent out to deliberate. After approximately only three hours,

the jury returned to the courtroom with its verdict. Derrek Sretzki was found guilty on all counts of first degree murder for the death of Hannah MaCTec, for the death of Terry Blanchett and the death of Hailey Dunbar Blanchett, as well as one more account of committing an indignity to a dead body in relation to the cannibalism of Hailey Dunbar Blanchett. Following the verdict, the court moved to

the sentencing phase. Because first degree murder in Canada carries a mandatory life sentence, the main issue before the judge was whether that period of parole ineligibility would be served consecutively with each case. Now at the time, the law allowed judges to stack parole ineligibility periods for multiple murders, meaning an offender could be required to serve far more than twenty five years before ever receiving eligibility for parole.

Before sentencing was imposed, Victim impact statements were read in court. These statements gave family members and loved ones an opportunity to describe how the crimes had affected their lives. Cheyenne Dunbar spoke about the loss of her daughter and the permanent change that it had caused. She told the court that grief, anxiety, and depression had become daily struggles. She told them how every milestone Haley would ever have reached would forever remind her of what had been taken from her.

Terry's sister, Amanda Blanchett, addressed the court as well. She said that Derek had stolen not just one life, but the future of an entire family. She spoke about the pain of losing her brother and the horror of knowing what her niece had to endure. Friends and relatives of Hannah MaCTec also, while he submitted some statements One close friend described how Hannah's death had shattered the sense of

safety in the community and left lasting emotional scars. She told the court that forgiveness was in in the face of such violence. When it was time for sentencing, Justice Tillman addressed the court. He stated that Derek had shown no regard for human life, community standards, or the rule of law. He described the crimes as terrible and incomprehensible,

and emphasized the lasting harm that they had caused. The judge imposed three life sentences to be served consecutively, and he ordered that Derek would not be eligible to apply for parole for a total of seventy five years, effectively ensuring that he would never be released.

that the censing imposed was in was unconstitutional. One of the main arguments raised by the defense focused on the consecutive parole ineligibility periods. Defense lawyers argued that such a sentence amounted to cruel and unusual punishment and violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. They claimed that denying any realistic chance a parole removed incentives for rehabilitation and

stripped inmates of hope for eventual reintegration into society. The Alberta Court of Appeal reviewed those arguments, and in November of twenty twenty they dismissed the appeal and upheld both his convictions and his sentence. However, the legal landscape shifted again in twenty twenty two. That year, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the provisions allowing judges to impose consecutive periods of parole ineligibility from multiple murders was in

fact unconstitutional. The court determined that such sentences violated the Charter because they eliminated any meaningful possibility for parole of life. As a result of this decision, individuals who had received stacked parole ineligibility periods became eligible to apply for parole after serving twenty five years, regardless of the number of murders they had committed. The ruling applied retroactively, affecting cases

across the country, including Derek's. And that decision makes my stomach turn.

on those already affected by violent crimes. And I wholeheartedly agree with that.

how long they will spend behind bars. Yes, you want to give them the parole, give them the fucking parole, but limit their fucking parole.

and close knit for many people who lived there. The sense of safety had been taken for granted and was permanently altered. In the months and years following the case, community members made deliberate efforts to focus on healing rather

than the violence itself. One of the most visible examples of this was the creation of a playground and park in Blairmore named in Haley Dunbar Blanchette's memory, built through volunteer labor, labor and local fundrais seeing the park was meant to honor her life, becoming a place where families could gather and children could play, offering a small measure of hope in the aftermath of tragedy. Public memorials and

private acts of remembrance continue as well. Vigils, anniversary gatherings, and charitable efforts help keep the victim's names present in the community without turning them into a symbol of fear. Residents often speak about the importance of remembering Terry as a devoted father and Hannah as a kind and generous neighbor who ain't going to take no shit from nobody's sort of attitude because fuck yeah, I love that, And rather than defining them only by their deaths, they're remembering

them for Cheyenne Dunbar. Hailey's mother life after the case involved rebuilding in the face of overwhelming loss. In interviews following the trial, she spoke openly about the long term effects of grief, anxiety, and depression. Losing her daughter so suddenly and violently reshaped every aspect of her life. While she largely withdrew public attention later in the years, her testimony and statement during the trial reflected the depth of

her commitment to preserving Haley's memory. Terry Blanchette's family also continued to navigate life without him. His sister, parents and extended relatives worked to keep his role as a loving father at the center of how he was remembered. Friends and former co workers frequently described him as someone who had been trying to improve his life and focus on his daughter, a narrative that stood in contrast to the violence that ended it. In Coleman, Hannah Macatac's absence was

felt deeply among longtime residents and friends. She'd been a very familiar presence in town, and her death highlighted the vulnerability of elderly people living alone. Neighbours became more tentative to one another and informal support networks grew stronger in response. More than anything, though, the lasting legacy of the story in Crow's Nest Past is tied to the people who were law Ust, Terry, Hannah, and Haley are all remembered not for the violence inflicted on them, but for the

lives they lived within their families and communities. The story, when followed from beginning to end, shows us how an ordinary place was disrupted by extraordinary harm, how three people were brutally killed, but it also shows how tragedy can be turned into remembrance. All three victims are gone, and another family lost their son to his actions and now he's sitting behind bars. Yet their loved ones all still

hold on to their memories. They remember, they celebrate, and in some cases, thanks to their beliefs, they wait for the day they get to see them and embrace them once again in another life. And that's the story of Derek Suretzky.

It goes a long way with our independent podcast helps other people, you know what, look at the podcast think hey, I might want to listen to that too, So if you don't us, If you don't, though, that's cool too. We just appreciate you being here, so thank you, and of course, until next