Crowsnest Pass triple murders' anniversary reveals lingering sadness
Colleen Underwood | CBC News | Posted: September 14, 2016 12:00 PM | Last Updated: September 14, 2016
'We would like everyone to remember who they were'
A year after a southern Alberta community was torn apart by the murders of a young girl, her father, and an elderly woman each of the families still struggle with their own emotions, while searching for the right words to extend to others.
"We are so sorry, so sorry for what they're going through. It torments us. It's nightmarish and we just, our hearts are broken for them," said Judy Megli, grandmother of Derek Saretzky.
A man who lived in Blairmore, Derek Saretzky, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Terry Blanchette, his two-year-old daughter Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette and 69-year-old Hanne Meketech.
"We can't go and console them because, oh God, how they must hate us," said Megli.
The Blanchette family declined to be interviewed, but in a statement they offer their condolences to Meketech's family and friends, as well as to Saretzky's.
"We would also like to send a prayer for peace to the Saretzky family as they are just as much victims in this situation as we are. We are still awaiting justice and closure for Terry and Hailey's horrific murders. Their deaths have left a void in our family that's beyond repair, " said Amanda Blanchette, Terry's sister, on behalf of the family.
Crime timeline
69-year-old Meketech's body was found in her home in Coleman, on Sept. 9, 2015. Police said in the weeks following that her death was not connected to the deaths of Blanchette and his toddler daughter, even though they happened less than a week apart.
- Derek Saretzky to face jury trial in May 2017 for murder charges
- Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette case: What we know
Blanchette's body was later found in his Blairmore home on the morning of Sept. 14, 2015. His daughter was missing, prompting an Amber Alert. Her mysterious disappearance resonated with people across the country who prayed for her safe return.
"It just absolutely unfolded like a really slow nightmare, I would put it that way," said Blairmore resident Wendy Valley, who knows the Blanchettes.
"I know I was feeling fear, I was raising three children down the street," said Amber Koskela, who worked with Blanchette. "You didn't know who or what was happening, who had done it, at the time there was no suspects, so it was scary."
RCMP found the young girl's remains in a rural area Sept. 15.
Derek Saretzky was arrested and charged with their murders.
You feel ... the pain of that family and you feel the shame - Judy Megli
Koskela said the revelation was shocking.
"The tragedy, two lives lost, actually three , the young man in jail for it, another young man, three lives lost in this community."
Then months later, RCMP announced another charge against Saretzky — first-degree murder for the death of Meketech.
"It's so devastating on our side to think of it, that someone that we loved so deeply could have done that. And so you feel ... the pain of that family and you feel the shame and you, I don't know, there are so many emotions," said Megli.
Some say it's still hard to understand what would have led to these horrific crimes.
" I don't even know really how to describe it, it's like a numbness, [you] feel terrible for everyone, everyone that was involved, the families of the victims, and the family of the accused," said Valley.
"And there's that question why, everyone wonders why, and I don't think there's probably ever going to be an answer to that."
Painful reminders
Crownsest Pass councillor Bill Kovach says the community is strong, and has come together to support all of these families. But he says there will always be painful reminders.
" I mean you go on with your life but there's different things that — you drive by the house where it all happened, it brings the memory back so — and now I'm sure the anniversary will bring a lot of memories back too of the incident"
Jocelyn Thomas says she didn't know any of the families that well, yet the crimes have left an impact on her.
"I still feel kind of haunted when I walk by where they lived and the playground where she played at," referring to the playground near the Blanchette home.
She says she also avoids the restaurant where Blanchette used to work as a cook.
"I'd been there before it happened, maybe once with a guy from the newspaper I used to write for, but I won't go in there anymore because just knowing about the sadness, even though I didn't know the people, I just would feel too upset, so I won't go there."
Lasting memories
While some would rather forget, people like Tammy Tracey who worked with Blanchette are working hard to remember. She's managed to raise $20,000 to build a park bench with Terry and Hailey's faces on it and for some new playground equipment.
"It's where she loved to go. It was her favourite place in the world and he always spent lots of time in the park with her and we thought that that would be a nice place for us to go and sit on a bench and watch some kids," said Tracey.
Dunbar-Blanchette's godmother, Rebecca Harrington, says people are being encouraged to wear blue and pink Wednesday in honour of Blanchette and his daughter, because they were their favourite colours.
She says she will always remember the way Hailey scrunched up her face, and Terry's love for his daughter.
"We would like everyone to remember who they were, and not just us."
Harrington says she's looking forward to seeing the trial through, so she can take one more step towards her own healing.
Hanne Meketech's friends haven't planned any special events for the anniversary.
However they got together for a celebration last year to mark what would have been her 70th birthday.