From: jcs
On April 8, 2009, eight-year-old Tori Stafford was reported missing from Woodstock, Ontario, at 6:04 p.m., after leaving Oliver Stevens School two minutes later than other students to retrieve her mother’s butterfly earrings [00:00:03]. A missing persons investigation was immediately launched [00:00:32].
Initial Investigation
Surveillance footage from a local high school, discovered approximately seven hours after the report, showed Tori walking with an unidentified woman [00:00:36]. Tori appeared to be walking voluntarily, and the woman was described as white, 19-25 years old, 5 foot 2, about 125 pounds, with a black ponytail [00:00:44].
A public appeal was made, and Tori’s grandparents offered a $10,000 reward for her return [00:00:55]. A Facebook group dedicated to finding her amassed over 20,000 followers within 24 hours [00:01:03]. On April 12, four days post-disappearance, hundreds gathered for a vigil, and Tori’s mother made a televised appeal [00:01:07]. Investigators interviewed Tori’s parents, both of whom passed polygraph tests [00:01:19].
Ground searches were called off six days after Tori’s disappearance due to a lack of clues [00:01:24]. “America’s Most Wanted” featured her case as its top story [00:01:30]. On April 17, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) took over the lead in the investigation, reclassifying it as an abduction, and ground searches resumed [00:01:35]. A composite sketch of the woman in the video was released and circulated via social media and local news outlets [00:01:45].
Terry Lynn McClintock’s Confession
On May 19, police identified the woman as 18-year-old Terry Lynn McClintock, who was already in custody for a probation breach related to a drug violation [00:01:54]. She was transferred to OPP Headquarters for an interrogation by Detective Sergeant Jim Smith [00:02:03]. McClintock initially denied involvement but broke roughly 45 minutes into the interrogation [00:02:09].
She described how she lured Tori into a secluded parking space with the promise of showing her a puppy [00:02:55]. Tori was then forced into the backseat of a vehicle driven by 28-year-old Michael Rafferty [00:03:03]. They drove to a secluded area about 100 miles north of Woodstock, where Rafferty sexually assaulted and murdered Tori by striking her head four times with a claw hammer [00:03:07]. McClintock drew a sketch of the area, which led police to discover Tori’s remains. Her cause of death, repeated blows to the head with a blunt object, correlated with McClintock’s testimony [00:03:20].
Michael Rafferty’s Interrogation
At 7:55 p.m. on the same evening, Michael Rafferty was arrested and charged with kidnapping and first-degree murder. He was read his rights and brought to police headquarters for immediate interrogation [00:03:37].
Initial Phase: Rapport Development and Threat Assessment
The interrogation began with Staff Sergeant Chris Loam, a member of the OPP’s highly trained Behavioral Sciences unit and head of the analysis section, which includes criminal profiling, threat assessment, and forensic psychiatry [00:07:02].
Loam initiated a common strategy of rapport development, maintaining a friendly and nonchalant disposition to encourage cooperation and downplay the crime’s severity [00:05:20]. He offered Rafferty food and tea to establish comfort [00:04:07].
Loam stated his purpose was to assess Rafferty’s “threat level,” specifically whether he would “go out and kill more people” [00:06:19]. However, for crimes of rape and murder, the threat level is typically assessed before any psychological analysis. The true purpose was to understand Rafferty’s character to influence his reasoning and decision-making [00:07:27].
Loam noted Rafferty’s lack of prior police issues, indicating that his involvement was “out of character” [00:08:47]. He used the analogy of pencils having erasers to suggest that “we all make mistakes” [00:10:46]. He also brought up the case of Michael Briere, who abducted and murdered Holly Jones after watching child pornography, suggesting that such acts can happen close to home and that “these things happen” [00:09:05]. Loam emphasized that the evidence already confirmed Rafferty’s involvement in the abduction, and his “credibility” was all he had left [00:12:09].
Rafferty was observed acting like a “quivering mess,” displaying self-pity and seeking sympathy, a stark contrast to his actions during Tori’s attack [00:13:06]. The detective actively watched for and immediately stopped any denials to prevent Rafferty’s morale from increasing [00:14:30].
Loam also highlighted the overwhelming evidence, including Terry Lynn McClintock’s identification, her presence in Rafferty’s car, and their movements to Guelph and Home Depot as part of a “planned event” to grab a girl [00:15:13]. He stated there was “no doubt” Rafferty was involved in Tori’s abduction [00:16:22]. Rafferty became visibly sick and was offered a bucket [00:16:57].
Loam continued to “ramble,” a common strategy to keep the suspect’s mind racing and prevent them from conjuring lies or disassociating [00:18:07]. He asserted that the case was “cleared” and evidence gathered, stating Rafferty’s “battle plan” would not work [00:19:09]. He repeatedly suggested that Rafferty was “not some sick bastard” but had made a “mistake” that got “out of control,” encouraging him to explain his side [00:24:53].
Second Phase: Good Cop, Bad Cop
After 95 minutes of psychological pressure, Rafferty remained unyielding [00:33:19]. The investigators initiated the Mutt and Jeff technique, also known as good cop/bad cop [00:32:23]. The “bad cop” (another officer, “Blake”) entered, dramatically recounting McClintock’s detailed confession, including Rafferty’s sexual relations with Tori and her subsequent killing [00:33:35]. He highlighted McClintock’s emotional state (“two boxes of Kleenex”) and her refusal of a lawyer, contrasting it with Rafferty’s silence [00:33:55].
The “bad cop” asserted that McClintock’s story was backed by video and other evidence, and warned Rafferty about the overwhelming forensic evidence, including Tori’s blood and skin cells, in his car [00:36:41]. He accused Rafferty of being “full of shit” if he denied the evidence and threatened to stop talking to him if he didn’t tell his “truth” [00:38:03]. The “good cop,” Loam, then returned, acknowledging Rafferty’s discomfort but reinforcing that McClintock’s story was verifiable [00:39:56].
This technique is based on the “fear then relief response,” aiming to disorient the suspect and make them more compliant due to uncertainty [00:39:16]. However, it was ultimately unsuccessful in this instance [00:46:16].
Rafferty eventually asked if he could get something to eat [00:45:49]. He was concerned about how eating would be perceived, wanting to appear guilt-ridden but also needing to satisfy his hunger [00:44:57]. Loam offered food but did not provide it [00:46:03].
The “bad cop,” Detective Smith, returned and, realizing Rafferty’s position was unlikely to change, abandoned interrogation strategies [00:47:36]. He emotionally grilled Rafferty, stating he believed Rafferty was a “cold-blooded killer” and comparing him to Paul Bernardo [00:52:53]. He expressed that he was in the room to make Rafferty “squirm” and endure some of the grief he inflicted on Tori [00:53:39]. Smith left the room after calling Rafferty a “sick puppy” [00:53:48].
Outcome
Michael Rafferty and Terry Lynn McClintock were both found guilty of kidnapping, sexual assault, and first-degree murder of Tori Stafford [00:55:27]. They were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 25 years [00:57:16]. The verdict brought a “collective sigh of yes” and relief to Tori’s family and friends [00:55:43]. Rafferty’s defense acknowledged that even such a person deserves a “proper and effective defense” [00:56:40].