Canada - Carla, 64, & Alan Rutherford, 63, Dundas Ontario, 9 July 2018- *ARREST*

[Kamille]

Oakville is an expensive part of TO. I don't know what the wife did but he only had a Bachelors so he is teaching primary not high school. Yes our Canadian Teachers are well paid but Oakville and teaching primary?

In September, Rich returned to teaching. He was now the librarian and physical education teacher at Hess Street Elementary School.

His wife continued her job in Toronto as instructional program co-ordinator in the recreation department at Ryerson University. Sources have told the Spectator she appeared to be unaware of her husband’s finances. They bought their house off Trafalgar Rd. in northeast Oakville in 2005 for about $266,000.

The house is in both their names and, in recent years, they took no additional mortgages out on the property. Recently, a house down the street listed at $788,000.

They own a Dodge minivan that Rich drove to work in Hamilton every day. Evangelia doesn’t drive.

Rich does not have a criminal record.

The dying man said a name: So who was his son Rich Taylor? | The Star

 

[Kamille]

Ok now I see the confusion. Sorry I thought they were crated and died.

The dogs were crated in the basement but apparently firefighters did manage to rescue them.

"In all, about 35 firefighters and 11 vehicles responded to the scene. When the roof collapsed, firefighters were forced to fight the blaze from outside, using an aerial truck. It took 40 minutes to get the fire under control.

At some point, firefighters rescued the dogs from the basement. They were taken in by a neighbour."

The dying man said a name: the haunting case of a Hamilton couple’s death by arson | The Star

 

[Kamille]

Here is an alternate link to Part 1 if anyone had trouble viewing it. You may be able to view it here...

Dying words: the arson killings of Carla and Alan Rutherford

 

[deugirtni]

Thanks for posting that other option Kamille! Here is a little video from that link:

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[deugirtni]

And a good pic of the accused from same link:

 

[deugirtni]

I didn't realize the poor dogs were crated in the basement. If they hadn't been, they may have been able to stop Rich or at least warn Alan & Carla by barking. They may have been able to run out behind Alan. They had no chance.

My guess is that the dogs would have died if they had been free that night, trying to protect their owners. They still could have barked even being penned, I wonder if they did, and if that may have woken Al up in time to see his attacker and being able to report as his last words?

 

[deugirtni]

I also didn't know Rich had been at their house just a few days before ... with his kids swimming. Sounds like he's had issues with money going missing at places he's worked. I wonder if he had a drug or gambling problem.

It seems he certainly had an 'entitlement' problem. (Maybe also an alcohol problem?) Can you imagine going so far as to switch the giftcards inside the recipients' envelopes, making $30 each in the process? Wow. I wonder if people he knows, received LCBO giftcards that year from him? Too much.

 

[deugirtni]

It sickens me to wonder if he actually entered the couple's bedroom while they slept that night. It seems the fire started there. The window was shattered, but was that from the heat, or from him throwing some kind of an ignited fire bomb through their window?

 

[deugirtni]

Perhaps there isn't a publication ban on this case? So the media can publish anything they see and hear both in and out of the courtroom?

Even so.. it is common for LE to ask witnesses (POIs, etc) not to release certain details. Interesting that it didn't come out immediately following the court appearance, if that was even mentioned?

 

[deugirtni]

They must have discussed his role as executor and their wishes for the estate. I suppose he didn't want to wait. I hope the family were able to remove him as executor of the estate, or to at least freeze the estate until after the investigation was completed. My experience with Wills is that there is an executor, but there is an alternate in the event that the first named executor is unable to complete the duty.

I'm thinking their estates must have been at least somewhat 'complicated'.. with each of them having their own set of adult children from prior marriages, and the house having originally been owned by Carla from before she met Al. Presumably, each of them would have wanted to provide for their own offspring.

I wonder if there were also life insurance policies, and who the beneficiaries were. I believe life insurance policies get paid out fairly quickly - I wonder if the insurance companies receive some kind of notification that a death(s) are under investigation, and if they would therefore be able to stall the payout, in case a beneficiary might end up being accused/found guilty of causing the death(s)?

 

[LadyL]

Fatal Dundas fire investigation expected to be lengthy
"The couple's two chocolate brown Labradors are being cared for by a neighbour. Many in the community knew the Rutherfords from seeing them walking their dogs."

Ok now I see the confusion. Sorry I thought they were crated and died.

BEST NEWS EVER!!!
Sorry for the confusion I created.
Thank you dotr!

 

[LadyL]

It seems he certainly had an 'entitlement' problem. (Maybe also an alcohol problem?) Can you imagine going so far as to switch the giftcards inside the recipients' envelopes, making $30 each in the process? Wow. I wonder if people he knows, received LCBO giftcards that year from him? Too much.

and the Timmies cards were probably either gifts to him or he stole those also
geez, thieving is complicated

 

[Elle A]

In September, Rich returned to teaching. He was now the librarian and physical education teacher at Hess Street Elementary School.

His wife continued her job in Toronto as instructional program co-ordinator in the recreation department at Ryerson University. Sources have told the Spectator she appeared to be unaware of her husband’s finances. They bought their house off Trafalgar Rd. in northeast Oakville in 2005 for about $266,000.

The house is in both their names and, in recent years, they took no additional mortgages out on the property. Recently, a house down the street listed at $788,000.

They own a Dodge minivan that Rich drove to work in Hamilton every day. Evangelia doesn’t drive.

Rich does not have a criminal record.

The dying man said a name: So who was his son Rich Taylor? | The Star

Wow - Thank you for this Kamille!! Was expecting something completely different re: RT family income/finances and even family vehicle !

All views/opinions are IMO

 

[Kamille]

Wow - Thank you for this Kamille!! Was expecting something completely different re: RT family income/finances and even family vehicle !

All views/opinions are IMO

I think the key in that quotation is that his wife seemed to be unaware of her husband's finances. Her husband's finances? Wouldn't it be their finances? So whatever he was doing, whatever debts he may have been racking up, especially with the business with his brother, he was keeping his wife out of it. If he needed any money for the business, he wasn't asking his wife to sign off on a loan or to remortgage the house, even though they had accumulated quite a lot of equity in it. So my question would be, how was he financing the start up of the business? Or what was he keeping from his wife?

MOO

 

[deugirtni]

Not sure if posted earlier in the thread, but here is Carla's IG (which was noted in that newspaper article above). Note there are photos posted of the accused's children visiting on July 5, 2018, which was only 3 days before they went to bed on that fateful evening.:

Carla Rutherford (@cjruther4d) • Instagram photos and videos

 

[JDG]

bump

 

[dotr]

Dec 4 2019
Bail hearing set for man accused of killing mom and her husband in Dundas fire

Carla and Alan Rutherford died in a fire deliberately set while they slept on July 9, 2018. Carla’s oldest son, Richard Taylor, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder. - The Hamilton Spectator

Rich Taylor is charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the arson deaths of his mom and her husband. - Handout photo,The Taylor Bros. Chair Co

"A Hamilton teacher accused of murdering his mother and her husband in a fire set at their Dundas home is seeking bail.

Richard (Rich) Taylor, 43, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the July 9, 2018, arson deaths of 64-year-old Carla and 63-year-old Alan (Al) Rutherford.

The married couple were killed in a fire deliberately set while they slept in their Greening Court home.

Taylor, who has been in custody since his January 2019 arrest, has a bail hearing set for the third week of February.
Police have said the homicides were financially motivated. There are no other suspects."

"Details of the Feb. 18 to 21 bail hearing will be restricted by a publication ban. However, The Spectator expects to report whether he is released."

Dying words: the arson killings of Carla and Alan Rutherford
"Dying words: the arson killings of Carla and Alan Rutherford
It was 3:30 a.m. when the back bedroom inside 8 Greening Ct. in Dundas erupted in flames. Al Rutherford, with burns to over 80 per cent of his body, escaped and knocked on his neighbour’s door. Call 911, he said. And then he said a name.
Apr 10, 2019 by Susan Clairmont , Nicole O'Reilly"

 

[JDG]

.

 

[deugirtni]

Bail hearing in Dundas arson murders begins
Hamilton teacher Richard Taylor is charged with two counts of first-degree murder
Nicole O'Reilly The Hamilton Spectator Tuesday, February 18, 2020

The bail hearing in Hamilton Superior Court is being presided over by Justice Paul Sweeny.
....
There are five proposed sureties who sat in the body of the court, among them were Taylor's wife and his father.
....
Details of the proceeding, including evidence discussed, cannot be reported because of a publication ban.

Bail hearing in Dundas arson murders begins
========
Bail hearing complete in Dundas arson murders
Rich Taylor waiting to learn if he will be released on bail
Nicole O'Reilly The Hamilton Spectator Friday, February 21, 2020

Bail hearing complete in Dundas arson murders
=========
Richard Taylor denied bail in arson murders of his mom and stepdad
By The Hamilton Spectator Fri., March 13, 2020 Article was updated Mar. 18, 2020

A three-day bail hearing was held Feb. 18 to 20. In court Friday Superior Court Justice Paul Sweeny denied Taylor bail.

Details of the hearing, including reasons for judgment cannot be shared because of a publication ban.

Richard Taylor denied bail in arson murders of his mom and stepdad
==========
No preliminary hearing for Hamilton man accused of killing mother and stepfather in Dundas arson
By Lisa Polewski 900 CHML
Posted October 14, 2020 4:59 pm

Crown attorney Janet Booy requested a direct indictment in the case, which has been granted.

“It has moved directly to Superior Court and will be in the assignment court this Friday,” Booy wrote in an email to Global News. “Dates will not be set until we complete a judicial pretrial.”

No preliminary hearing for Hamilton man accused of killing mother and stepfather in Dundas arson
===========
Dundas arson-murder case will go straight to trial
Rare direct indictment means Richard Taylor, accused of starting fire that killed his mother and stepfather, will skip preliminary hearing, writes Susan Clairmont.
Susan Clairmont Hamilton Spectator Wednesday, October 14, 2020

The rare direct indictment means Richard Taylor will not have a preliminary hearing and will skip ahead to his first-degree murder trial.

A direct indictment is an extraordinary measure and means the Crown and Ontario’s attorney general agree there is ample evidence to commit the case to trial.

Janet Booy, Crown for the Richard Taylor matter, says she applied for the direct indictment and approval was granted by the attorney general last week.
....
It is unclear if COVID-19 played any role in the decision to grant a direct indictment. An interview request to the Ministry of the Attorney General was not acknowledged.
....
Direct indictments have happened in Hamilton only twice in recent memory — both times for high-profile cases involving deaths. The process is used only for the most serious and complicated cases and usually signals that the Crown is confident there is a strong likelihood of conviction.
....
A direct indictment can speed up the judicial process and reduce the potential for breaches of publication bans, as well as spare witnesses from testifying twice and families from going through two long hearings.

From the Crown’s perspective, it can also prevent the defence from knowing the prosecution strategy.

For the defence, it eliminates the opportunity to prove there is insufficient evidence for a client to stand trial.
....
In 2014, the attorney general granted a direct indictment in the Tim Bosma murder case, sending Dellen Millard and Mark Smich right to their trial where, after six months of evidence, a jury found them both guilty of first-degree murder.
....
Millard and Smich were also directly indicted for the murder of Laura Babcock. They were also found guilty at that trial.

A direct indictment was approved last year in the case against Hamilton paramedics charged in the death of 19-year-old Yosef Al-Hasnawi.
....
Other direct indictments in Ontario include Michael Rafferty, who abducted, raped and murdered eight-year-old Tori Stafford, and Paul Bernardo, who abducted, raped and murdered teenagers Kristin French and Leslie Mahaffy.

Dundas arson-murder case will go straight to trial

 

[deugirtni]

Dying Words Part 2: A son accused of murdering parents for money
Rich Taylor seemed to be an average guy. A family, an Oakville home, a teaching job in Hamilton. Maybe a few oddities, but murder? Rich was charged months after a fire at his boyhood home that killed his mother and stepdad.

Dying Words Part 2: A son accused of murdering parents for money
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It seems we are able to read this one without a subscription:

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