Fate of suspect charged in death of dad, toddler now the in hands of the jury

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LETHBRIDGE, Alta. – The fate of a man charged with killing a father, his young daughter and a senior in southwestern Alberta is now in the hands of a jury.

But the dismissal of two of the 14 jurors in the trial of Derek Saretzky created unexpected drama before the deliberations began Wednesday. Two extra jurors sit through the trial as alternates and are dismissed before deliberations begin.

The jury had requested all 14 be allowed to decide the fate of Saretzky, who is facing three counts of first-degree murder and one of causing an indignity to a human body. The judge refused the jury’s request saying Canadian law doesn’t allow more than 12 to decide the verdict.

“It’s not right to treat people this way,” the dismissed female juror yelled at Justice William Tilleman.

“You have us come against our will and then show us the door. It’s not right.”

Saretzky, 24, is charged in the September 2015 deaths of Terry Blanchette, his two-year-old daughter Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette and 69-year-old Hanne Meketech five days earlier.

Tilleman spent two hours giving the jury his final instructions explaining Saretzky is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

“Derek Saretzky doesn’t have to prove anything,” said Tilleman. “In all circumstances, you must give the benefit of the doubt to Mr. Saretzky.

“You must all be satisfied of Mr. Saretzky’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.”

The killings all occurred in the small close-knit region known as the Crowsnest Pass in southwestern Alberta.

The court heard videotaped confessions from Saretzky who told police he killed Meketech — a friend of his grandparents — on the spur of the moment and because he “didn’t think anybody cared about her.”

Court heard Saretzky kicked in the door of her mobile home in the community of Coleman and bludgeoned her to death before stabbing her in the throat.

A similar scenario played out five days later at Blanchette’s home in Blairmore.

Blanchette was beaten with a baseball bat before his throat was cut and his little girl was taken from her crib.

Saretzky told police he took the toddler to a campsite, partially owned by a family member, where he choked her to death, cannibalized and dismembered her before throwing her remains in a firepit.

Saretzky pleaded not guilty to all charges.

— Follow @BillGraveland on Twitter

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