Canada - Carla, 64, & Alan Rutherford, 63, Dundas Ontario, 9 July 2018- *ARREST*
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Interesting that the accused's wife and father and possibly other unnamed family members seem to be supporting him.
There are five proposed sureties who sat in the body of the court, among them were Taylor's wife and his father.
There are five proposed sureties who sat in the body of the court, among them were Taylor's wife and his father.
It will be three years this summer and crickets.
I'd think there will be some 'adjustment' in the law for the COVID pandemic, toss out the time frame for instance.
Wish this case could be tried in the near future though, COVID may be around for quite some time.
I'd think there will be some 'adjustment' in the law for the COVID pandemic, toss out the time frame for instance.
Wish this case could be tried in the near future though, COVID may be around for quite some time.
May 8 2022
canoe.com
".......Nor did they reveal how the blaze was set, saying those matters will be evidence when Taylor is tried. But detectives weren’t hesitant in describing the murders as carefully planned, deliberate, and heartless.
Taylor later applied for bail on the cusp of the COVID pandemic, but that effort was quickly torpedoed, and he has been in custody since he was arrested in January 2019.
Taylor — who lived in Oakville with his wife and two young children — didn’t even receive a preliminary hearing before going on trial. The last time that happened in Hamilton was for the Tim Bosma murder trial.
Crown attorney Janet Booy requested the direct indictment — which sends a case to trial without a preliminary hearing — from Ontario’s attorney general’s office, and it was granted.
Police have said they explored the possibility the blaze was a case of murder-for-hire, but soon settled on Richard Taylor, Carla’s son from her first marriage. Ultimately, Taylor was the only suspect, detectives said.
A jury — selected on May 2 — will be ready to go Monday at the John Sopinka Courthouse in Hamilton.
And there, we will learn how a well-respected teacher allegedly planned and executed the fiery murders of his mother and stepfather in his childhood home.
He has pleaded not guilty and none of the charges have been proven in court.''
rbbm.
HUNTER: Ontario teacher accused of burning parents alive goes on trial
The charred metal bed frame was all that remained of a terror-filled warm July evening. It had been the marital bed of Alan and Carla Rutherford.
Taylor later applied for bail on the cusp of the COVID pandemic, but that effort was quickly torpedoed, and he has been in custody since he was arrested in January 2019.
Taylor — who lived in Oakville with his wife and two young children — didn’t even receive a preliminary hearing before going on trial. The last time that happened in Hamilton was for the Tim Bosma murder trial.
Crown attorney Janet Booy requested the direct indictment — which sends a case to trial without a preliminary hearing — from Ontario’s attorney general’s office, and it was granted.
Police have said they explored the possibility the blaze was a case of murder-for-hire, but soon settled on Richard Taylor, Carla’s son from her first marriage. Ultimately, Taylor was the only suspect, detectives said.
A jury — selected on May 2 — will be ready to go Monday at the John Sopinka Courthouse in Hamilton.
And there, we will learn how a well-respected teacher allegedly planned and executed the fiery murders of his mother and stepfather in his childhood home.
He has pleaded not guilty and none of the charges have been proven in court.''
rbbm.
XiolaBlueX
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Hi, can you or dotr who I see posted above you help me?
I havent been on WS since the Tim Bosma trial. I can’t find any other threads/forums on this Richard Taylor murder trial. Do any exist? I’m hoping to go see some of it at the court, possibly as soon as tomorrow. Yes, this alleged crime is absolutely horrific.AFAIK this is the thread for this trial.
After investigating, the police put this son in jail as the suspect with money being the motive.
if you do get to the trial, will you please post your observations? Thanks!
After investigating, the police put this son in jail as the suspect with money being the motive.
if you do get to the trial, will you please post your observations? Thanks!
XiolaBlueX
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Yes, JDG, I’d be happy to share observations, etc. (As long as the topic isn’t something covered by a publication ban obviously). I was just surprised that there aren’t many postings /discussions yet, but I guess that will sharply increase as the trial goes on.
XiolaBlueX
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Yes, I know the things you are referring to. I don’t know what to think. It’s so hard to imagine somebody doing what he is alleged to have done. Horrific. In reading the local newspaper, (Hamilton Spectator). there were a couple of quite lengthy journalism pieces if I remember correctly.
I just heard that 3-4 jurors just backed out, so the trial did not start today as expected. It can no longer happen tomorrow either. Supposedly they are aiming for Wednesday.
I just heard that 3-4 jurors just backed out, so the trial did not start today as expected. It can no longer happen tomorrow either. Supposedly they are aiming for Wednesday.
Yep. Most of us have some sort of money problems (at some point), mortgages or kids need things and money is tight but you don’t kill a parent because they can’t or won’t help you out. Burning them to death? Thank Heavens Alan lived long enough to tell the neighbour who did it.
Richard Taylor trial delayed after several jurors ask to be excused
The first-degree murder trial of former Hamilton school teacher Richard Taylor was supposed to get underway on Monday but instead needed to canvas for more jurors after several members asked to be excused.Taylor stands accused of burning his parents alive in their Dundas home.
Taylor pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder.
....
Twelve jurors and two alternates had already been selected but four jurors backed out. Some due to mental health stresses, others because of financial issues and work obligations. As jury selection to fill their spots was happening, another juror told the judge he couldn’t do it either.
The spots were filled Monday afternoon, and now with a complete jury once again, the six-week trial is set to start on Wednesday.
Richard Taylor trial delayed after several jurors ask to be excused - CHCH
note: there is also a CHCH news video at link
Trial begins for son accused of murder
The couple is buried in the cemetery on the other side of their backyard fence.
....
The Crown team of Janet Booy and Mark Dean will open its case Wednesday in front of the six women and eight men of the jury.
....
His trial is expected to last six weeks in front of Justice Toni Skarica, and will hear testimony from family members. ...
....
Witnesses are generally excluded from the courtroom until they testify, so some of Carla’s and Alan’s relatives will not be present when the trial opens.
Other witnesses will include neighbours and first responders.
During jury selection, Taylor sat at a table near his counsel, Jennifer Penman and Kristen Dulysh. ... On the orders of the judge, he looked each juror in the eye.
....
Last week, 12 jurors and two alternates were chosen. Later, five of those jurors begged off — well after they had been given multiple opportunities to do so — citing anxiety and work commitments. Skarica was not pleased and let that be known as a half-day of valuable court time and resources was spent selecting replacements.
PressReader.com - Digital Newspaper & Magazine Subscriptions
The couple is buried in the cemetery on the other side of their backyard fence.
....
The Crown team of Janet Booy and Mark Dean will open its case Wednesday in front of the six women and eight men of the jury.
....
His trial is expected to last six weeks in front of Justice Toni Skarica, and will hear testimony from family members. ...
....
Witnesses are generally excluded from the courtroom until they testify, so some of Carla’s and Alan’s relatives will not be present when the trial opens.
Other witnesses will include neighbours and first responders.
During jury selection, Taylor sat at a table near his counsel, Jennifer Penman and Kristen Dulysh. ... On the orders of the judge, he looked each juror in the eye.
....
Last week, 12 jurors and two alternates were chosen. Later, five of those jurors begged off — well after they had been given multiple opportunities to do so — citing anxiety and work commitments. Skarica was not pleased and let that be known as a half-day of valuable court time and resources was spent selecting replacements.
PressReader.com - Digital Newspaper & Magazine Subscriptions
Is that a normal request by a judge?! Being instructed by the judge to the defendent to look each juror in the eye. Why?!
Hamilton double murder about 'money, deceit, pride,' says prosecution
“The bedroom was set ablaze at the foot of their bed with them in it,” Dean told the jurors in front of a packed courtroom.Alan Rutherford tried to escape to get help and jumped out a window to the ground about three metres below.
“His movements afterward are documented in blood-red smears left behind … they tell the story,” Dean said, adding that the retired scientist was desperate to get his wife and two chocolate labs out of the burning home.
“Despite his dire physical condition, he kept going,” Holmes said.
....
When asked by his longtime neighbour if there was anyone she could call, court heard Alan responded: “Don’t call Rich. He’s the one who did this. He already knows about it.”
...The Crown attorney said that 90%-95% of his skin had been burned off his body, and 76% would be classified as third-degree burns.
...
“...He had borrowed thousands from his family and friends, but their generosity was running out,” added Dean.
“He was the executor of the will and stood to gain a significant amount of money but [for that to happen] both Carla and Alan had to die,” he alleged, ...
HUNTER: Hamilton double murder about 'money, deceit, pride,' says prosecution
Richard Taylor was hemorrhaging money and desperate to keep his financial doomsday clock a secret from his wife.
Murder trial begins for man accused of killing mother, stepfather in Dundas arson
On day one of the trial, the court heard from three witnesses: Karen Monk, her daughter Lauren, and a Hamilton police officer.
....
Monk opened the door and saw a man slumped against the wall. She didn’t recognize him until he addressed her by name.
“He was burnt. He had skin falling off him … he was naked.”
Alan was upset, Monk said, and kept saying that someone had “firebombed” them ...
The court heard the frantic 911 call that Monk made that morning ...
Monk began crying on the witness stand, overcome with emotion as she listened to the recording from nearly four years ago.
Her daughter Lauren, who sat with Alan for some time before he was taken away with paramedics, also took the witness stand on Wednesday.
....
She also said she overheard Alan tell her mother not to call someone named “Rick” but was unsure if he had said “he thinks” or “he knows” he had something to do with the fire.
The third witness questioned on Wednesday was Const. Jason Katzmann, who was the first emergency responder on the scene.
....
That’s when Katzmann said he overheard Alan say it was “his wife’s son Rich who did it”.
The constable is scheduled to return to the stand on Thursday morning to be questioned by the defence counsel.
Murder trial begins for man accused of killing mother, stepfather in Dundas arson - Hamilton | Globalnews.ca
On day one of the trial, the court heard from three witnesses: Karen Monk, her daughter Lauren, and a Hamilton police officer.
....
Monk opened the door and saw a man slumped against the wall. She didn’t recognize him until he addressed her by name.
“He was burnt. He had skin falling off him … he was naked.”
Alan was upset, Monk said, and kept saying that someone had “firebombed” them ...
The court heard the frantic 911 call that Monk made that morning ...
Monk began crying on the witness stand, overcome with emotion as she listened to the recording from nearly four years ago.
Her daughter Lauren, who sat with Alan for some time before he was taken away with paramedics, also took the witness stand on Wednesday.
....
She also said she overheard Alan tell her mother not to call someone named “Rick” but was unsure if he had said “he thinks” or “he knows” he had something to do with the fire.
The third witness questioned on Wednesday was Const. Jason Katzmann, who was the first emergency responder on the scene.
....
That’s when Katzmann said he overheard Alan say it was “his wife’s son Rich who did it”.
The constable is scheduled to return to the stand on Thursday morning to be questioned by the defence counsel.
Murder trial begins for man accused of killing mother, stepfather in Dundas arson - Hamilton | Globalnews.ca
‘We’ve been firebombed’
Across the courtroom, Richard Taylor does not flinch.
Sitting beside his defence team, he seems unfazed by the 911 call. Or the photos of Alan’s blood on the porch. Or the description of his injuries or of Carla’s lifeless body being carried by firefighters.
....
On July 9, 2018, at 3 a.m., a neighbour’s security camera caught an image of a person outside Carla and Alan’s ranch-style home at 8 Greening Crt. in Dundas.
The person was “pacing back and forth, lighting what appeared to be matches and throwing them on to the ground, one by one,” Dean said. Moments later, the camera captured the same person running away.
At 3:30 a.m. the house erupted in flames.
....
During the six-week trial the jury will hear evidence that Taylor was the executor of his mother’s will and stood to inherit a significant amount of money — but only if Alan was also dead.
An arson expert is expected to testify the fire was started with gasoline at the foot of the Rutherfords’ bed.
Testimony from a pathologist will explain how the Rutherfords died. Alan died less than 12 hours after the fire due to acute thermal injuries, smoke inhalation and burns over 95 per cent of his body, 76 per cent of which were third degree. He was 63.
Carla died in her bedroom of acute smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning. She was 64.
....
Alan ran back into the house through the front door, which someone had unlocked. He couldn’t reach Carla.
He got one of their chocolate Labrador retrievers out of the kitchen and out of the house. He tried to get the other from the basement, but was unsuccessful. (It was rescued by firefighters.)
....
Lauren Monk, just 17 that night, took the witness stand and described trying to comfort Alan amid the chaos.
He apologized for not being able to get Carla out. And he apologized to Lauren for having to see him naked and dying on her porch.
She described laying her hand on top of his head. His hair came away in her fingers.
When her mom asked about calling someone for Alan, Lauren remembers his response like this: “Don’t call Rick. I think he had something to do with it” or “I know he had something to do with it.”
“As Alan was getting wheeled away, I heard him mention something about his son-in-law.”
The distinctions Lauren makes may be important for the defence.
Karen Monk testified that Alan always referred to Richard as “Rich.” Carla called him “Richie.”
Richard’s father, Richard Sr., goes by Rick, she said
PressReader.com - Digital Newspaper & Magazine Subscriptions
Across the courtroom, Richard Taylor does not flinch.
Sitting beside his defence team, he seems unfazed by the 911 call. Or the photos of Alan’s blood on the porch. Or the description of his injuries or of Carla’s lifeless body being carried by firefighters.
....
On July 9, 2018, at 3 a.m., a neighbour’s security camera caught an image of a person outside Carla and Alan’s ranch-style home at 8 Greening Crt. in Dundas.
The person was “pacing back and forth, lighting what appeared to be matches and throwing them on to the ground, one by one,” Dean said. Moments later, the camera captured the same person running away.
At 3:30 a.m. the house erupted in flames.
....
During the six-week trial the jury will hear evidence that Taylor was the executor of his mother’s will and stood to inherit a significant amount of money — but only if Alan was also dead.
An arson expert is expected to testify the fire was started with gasoline at the foot of the Rutherfords’ bed.
Testimony from a pathologist will explain how the Rutherfords died. Alan died less than 12 hours after the fire due to acute thermal injuries, smoke inhalation and burns over 95 per cent of his body, 76 per cent of which were third degree. He was 63.
Carla died in her bedroom of acute smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning. She was 64.
....
Alan ran back into the house through the front door, which someone had unlocked. He couldn’t reach Carla.
He got one of their chocolate Labrador retrievers out of the kitchen and out of the house. He tried to get the other from the basement, but was unsuccessful. (It was rescued by firefighters.)
....
Lauren Monk, just 17 that night, took the witness stand and described trying to comfort Alan amid the chaos.
He apologized for not being able to get Carla out. And he apologized to Lauren for having to see him naked and dying on her porch.
She described laying her hand on top of his head. His hair came away in her fingers.
When her mom asked about calling someone for Alan, Lauren remembers his response like this: “Don’t call Rick. I think he had something to do with it” or “I know he had something to do with it.”
“As Alan was getting wheeled away, I heard him mention something about his son-in-law.”
The distinctions Lauren makes may be important for the defence.
Karen Monk testified that Alan always referred to Richard as “Rich.” Carla called him “Richie.”
Richard’s father, Richard Sr., goes by Rick, she said
PressReader.com - Digital Newspaper & Magazine Subscriptions
Tweets from the courtroom today:
Kelly Botelho @botelhok
Day 2 of the Richard Taylor trial is starting with cross examination of a police officer.
10:15 AM · May 12, 2022·Twitter Web App
Kelly Botelho @botelhok · 38m
A Hamilton Police officer, who was the first to arrive on scene at the Dundas fire in 2018 testified that he spoke with the distraught Alan Rutherford. The officer's notes from that day say "His wife's son 'Rich' did this." @CHCHNews
Kelly Botelho @botelhok · 21m
Next witness is a young man who was dating the neighbour's daughter at the time. He was there the morning of the fire. "I could just hear Alan screaming that he knew who did it" - he told the court today. "It was Rick, it was Rick. It was something like that." @CHCHNews
Kelly Botelho @botelhok
Day 2 of the Richard Taylor trial is starting with cross examination of a police officer.
10:15 AM · May 12, 2022·Twitter Web App
Kelly Botelho @botelhok · 38m
A Hamilton Police officer, who was the first to arrive on scene at the Dundas fire in 2018 testified that he spoke with the distraught Alan Rutherford. The officer's notes from that day say "His wife's son 'Rich' did this." @CHCHNews
Kelly Botelho @botelhok · 21m
Next witness is a young man who was dating the neighbour's daughter at the time. He was there the morning of the fire. "I could just hear Alan screaming that he knew who did it" - he told the court today. "It was Rick, it was Rick. It was something like that." @CHCHNews
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