Cannibal “Sent From God” To Get a Child’s Heart

Cannibal “Sent From God” To Get a Child’s Heart

Content warning this video is about a sensitive topic involving loss of life we have removed any graphic content to comply with YouTube’s guidelines we aim to provide informative factual journalism on a tragic event in the public interest that does not dismiss its seriousness all clips are used under the doctrine of fair use for news reporting and analysis. Haley Dunar Blanchett was born in Taber Alberta Canada on December thirty first two thousand twelve to parents Terry Blanchett and Cheyenne Dunar she had light brown hair and warm brown eyes that always seemed full of joy. Terry and Cheyenne’s relationship was far from perfect but they worked to find compromise as they both shared a goal of giving their daughter the best life possible. Sadly it wasn’t meant to be by two thousand fifteen Cheyenne had separated from Terry for good and was moving to Edmonton for Haley though it still worked both parents shared custody on a two week alternating basis. During the transition period of Cheyenne’s move Haley spent far more time with her father despite their differences both Terry and Cheyenne described each other as great parents they adored their little girl and there wasn’t a line in the world they wouldn’t cross for her. According to Cheyenne Haley was smart beautiful and the greatest child ever she never cried she was perfect absolutely perfect. To her father Haley was more than just a daughter she was his reason to grow she transformed him into a devoted father and role model. But it all came crashing down on Monday September fourteenth two thousand fifteen when William Blanchett walked into his worst nightmare he discovered his son’s bloodied lifeless body inside a house in the Crowsnest Pass region of Southwest Alberta and as for little Haley she was nowhere to be found. William often babysat his granddaughter while Terry was at work and he had done so the day before at the time Haley was spending five months in her father’s custody while her mother was preparing to move. Following morning William was in town and decided to drop by Terry’s for a simple visit spotting his son’s car in the driveway he assumed the father and daughter were home but when he rang the doorbell there was only silence. William just shrugged it off and went to get some gas while there he tried texting and calling Terry but there was still no response that’s when a sense of worry started to creep in and William decided to head back to Terry’s house to check on him.

When he arrived he noticed the front door was unlocked this wasn’t unusual as Terry often left it that way whether he was at home or even out at the park with Haley. But there was something unusual about this because William noticed that the door to Haley’s room was open and Terry’s comforter was lying halfway in the hallway between his bedroom and the bathroom. Even more disturbing there was blood all over the floor alarmed with a dozen possibilities flashing through his mind William switched on the bathroom light only to be met with a sight no father should ever have to face. Terry was lying lifeless on the floor surrounded by his own blood his body was mostly wrapped in a blanket resting on his back between the toilet and the vanity additionally there appeared to be a big cut on his neck. William rushed to his son’s side and lifted him but Terry’s body was already cold to the touch and immediately went looking for Haley but she was still nowhere to be found. At around eleven twelve in the morning William called emergency services and reported what he had found they were also alerted that his young granddaughter Haley was missing. Officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Major Crimes Unit in Calgary quickly took over the case and rushed to the scene what they found inside was nothing short of gruesome. There were blood smears throughout the home beginning in Terry’s own bedroom the trail showed that Terry had been attacked while he was in his bed and then dragged through the house up to the bathroom. Investigators also found bloodstains on Haley’s crib and on her doll this chilling detail revealed that the killer approached and kidnapped Haley with bloodied hands moments after leaving Terry to die in a pool of his own blood. Terry’s autopsy showed an even more harrowing picture of the violence he suffered according to the medical examiner Doctor Tara Jones his body showed thirty separate blunt force injuries along with twelve wounds from a sharp object. The skull had been fractured in multiple places causing bruising to the brain and disturbingly fragments of an unidentifiable black material were found lodged deep within the bone at several places. Among the most devastating wounds was what Doctor Jones described as a deep gaping cut across Terry’s throat measuring roughly twenty five and a half by five and a half centimeters. The slash severed both jugular veins both carotid arteries the upper sections of the thyroid cartilage the esophagus and even sliced into a vertebrae. The autopsy report as described by Doctor Jones shows that Terry was still alive after his throat was slit this evidence just makes this case extremely disturbing. Report strongly suggests that the killer’s true motive was much more than simply taking his life there was an intention to cruelly draw out his suffering and amplify the brutality of this act.

Meanwhile officers began by combing through the neighborhood hoping that Haley simply had wandered off but their search turned up nothing then they reached out to Haley’s mother searching for any clue that might explain her whereabouts. By two fourteen in the afternoon after hours of gathering and reviewing evidence the police confirmed what everyone feared most that Haley had surely been abducted that same morning. One of Terry’s neighbors woke up at around three twenty in the morning to what sounded like someone kicking the sheets of metal roofing he had stacked in his driveway. He glanced outside and noticed a white commercial van parked in the driveway of an elderly neighbor what was strange about this is the neighbor was eighty five years old and did not drive. What disturbed him more was the sound that followed he recalled hearing the faint voice of a child whimpering whining screaming believing the cries were coming from inside or near the van. Later he said he thought he heard a woman seemingly trying to soothe the child though he couldn’t say for certain before he could get a closer look the van suddenly sped away into the night. By now investigators realized they were dealing with a homicide and an abduction time was of the essence to get Haley back safely. Around two fourteen in the afternoon an Amber Alert was issued for her first went out across Alberta but there was no sign of her in the area. The alert was expanded at about three fifteen in the afternoon to British Columbia Saskatchewan and the United States state of Montana. The same evening at five thirty in the afternoon the Royal Canadian Mounted Police held a news conference where they confirmed Terry Blanchett’s death was officially being investigated as a homicide. During the Amber Alert a dry cleaning business in Crowsnest Pass caught something unusual the description of the van linked to the abduction matched one of the vehicles at their shop. Larry Zerretky and his brother noticed that one of the company vans had been moved on the same day Terry Blanchett was found dead and Haley went missing so Larry contacted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police right away. At around eleven fifteen in the morning the person of interest Larry pointed to was none other than his own son.

The next day on September fifteenth twenty two year old Derek Saretzky was arrested in Blairmore the Royal Canadian Mounted Police made the arrest public during a news conference held at one in the afternoon. Superintendent Tony Hamorei stated that person has been arrested in association with both the homicide and disappearance of Haley. Superintendent Hamorei also addressed the search for the van stating they had located a white van that they believed was associated with the investigation in the area however it was too soon to know if it was the exact van they were looking for. The Amber Alert was still in effect with respect to locating this white van and they were looking forward to information from the public with regard to the investigation whether it had to do with the homicide aspect the van or the disappearance of Haley. As for Haley’s mother Cheyenne Dunar the Royal Canadian Mounted Police wouldn’t comment on any possible involvement she may have had in Haley’s disappearance and murder. Superintendent Hamorei kept it brief saying he couldn’t comment at that point in time as police had been speaking with her and obviously a follow up investigation was going to be done on all information that they received. At first they didn’t release the name of the man they had in custody nor did they formally lay any charges still word spread quickly that he was being treated as the prime suspect in both of the brutal cases. Meanwhile the Amber Alert for Haley remained active investigators believed she had been taken from her home around three thirty in the morning on Monday September fourteenth two thousand fifteen. On September fifteenth Derek was interviewed by Staff Sergeant Michael Macaulay at first Derek repeatedly denied any involvement in the murder of Terry Blanchett or the disappearance of his two year old daughter Haley. But when Sergeant Macaulay pressed him further he finally confessed. When asked when the devil started telling him to do some of these horrible things he replied that recently he had been just kind of taunting him to do all kinds of stupid stuff usually he never did anything. He stated he believed she was gone and in a better place now because God has his course for whatever reason. When asked if she was alive Derek confessed she was not alive and stated that the devil made him turn her into ashes in the bush.

He then described dismembering her and committing acts of cannibalism saying he ate a little bit of her heart it made him stronger for a bit just a little bit and he drained her blood and drank most of it. He even tried to justify his actions by claiming that God told him Haley probably wouldn’t have had a very good life the truth is she absolutely did with a father who loved her. During the interview Derek went on to reveal some horrifying details about how he murdered Terry he even said he felt sorry for Haley’s family. When asked why he did it he stated he was a terrible father yet to everyone who truly knew Terry this was far from the truth. Cheyenne Haley’s mother consistently spoke of how great a father he was and Haley’s grandfather William Blanchett testified that Terry loved to spend time with his daughter. Terry worked as a cook at Pure Country Bar and Grill in Frank and he never missed a day of work. His manager Tammy Tracy also commented that he was a good worker and a good father who did anything for his daughter loved her dearly and lived for her. A close friend named Caret Harrington confirmed this as well and called Terry an excellent father according to her he loved Haley very much and everything he did he did for Haley. Another family friend named Rebecca Harrington who was close to both sides of Haley’s family called Terry the most outstanding single dad she had ever seen and remarked further about his dedication and love for Haley. She noted that he stepped up had a full time job two days off a week and those two days were for Haley while any extra money went to her and he always put himself last. It was announced as a very sad duty that the body of two year old Haley Dunar Blanchett had been found in a rural location near Blairmore Alberta. The body was located during a police search based on information received by investigators and their efforts to locate Haley. The location of the discovery had been secured and investigators were working to process the scene while Haley’s family was notified and deepest condolences were extended for their loss of Haley and her father Terry.

The next day on September sixteenth Derek Saretzky was officially charged with two counts of first degree murder in the deaths of Haley and Terry by then the Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed that they believed Derek had planned the killings. His first court appearance was scheduled for September twenty third and Derek the same man who murdered Terry and Haley was revealed to be an acquaintance. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police however did not comment on the possible nature of their connection and that wasn’t all because Derek had also once been close friends with Cheyenne Haley’s mother. Naturally investigators initially suspected Cheyenne might have had some involvement one way or another but later revelations confirmed that Cheyenne had absolutely no part in the murder. Regarding her connection to Derek Cheyenne explained that they had been good friends years ago and stated it tears her apart knowing friends would do something like that. She further added that she hadn’t been in contact with Derek in three years moreover Cheyenne was unaware of any kind of connection between Derek and Terry stating she didn’t even know they knew each other. Cheyenne later testified that she first became friends with Derek when Haley was around three months old and over the next five months they would see each other a few times a week. When asked whether Haley was present during those visits Cheyenne admitted a couple of times yes. On the other hand Derek claimed that he had dated Cheyenne after Haley was born but said that he ended the relationship and when asked if he felt like Haley’s stepfather he shrugged and replied kind of he guesses. On September twenty third Derek was rushed from the Lethbridge Correctional Center to the hospital after a failed attempt to remove himself from this earth or state. He was alone in the shower when he did so guards discovered him and he was immediately transported to the Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge for treatment. On October twenty eighth the court ordered Derek to undergo a thirty day psychiatric assessment to determine whether or not he was fit to stand trial. On November twenty fifth Lethbridge court officially ruled that Derek was indeed mentally fit however during the investigations Derek repeatedly tried to shift the blame onto paranormal forces claiming things like the devil was controlling him or that God told him to do it.

Also pointed to the antipsychotic medication which he had stopped taking as part of his justification even expressing regret in a later interview and saying he wished that he hadn’t done it. But that’s not all there was a third murder linked to Derek Saretzky this victim was sixty nine year old Hannah Mekach who was found dead in her home on the morning of Wednesday September ninth two thousand fifteen. On September fifteenth Corporal Brian Fitzpatrick indicated that Derek had become a person of interest in Hannah’s murder when asked why he replied it was simple due to the blunt force trauma to Terry Blanchett and the stab wounds the poor elderly woman had suffered five blunt force injuries to the head two stab wounds to the neck and a superficial neck cut. Derek became an official suspect on September twenty fourth and another officer sent Corporal Fitzpatrick a photo of a list from his apartment. The list had the words medicine fresh at the top followed by several crossed out lines including Hannah sleepers for the dogs Shy Terry and the hideous baby. When questioned about tests ordered from Hannah’s autopsy including an assault kit which returned negative results Corporal Fitzpatrick explained it didn’t make any sense to me why this woman was killed I thought it could have been motivated. He was also questioned about fingernail clippings collected from Hannah after speaking with people who knew her police learned that she had a fiery personality adding that Hannah wasn’t going to go down quietly she fought back and I think she really came out swinging. On March second two thousand sixteen Derek explicitly admitted to killing Hannah and officially he was charged with her murder on April twentieth. During an interview with Sergeant Macaulay Derek described breaking into the woman’s home striking her on the head with a baseball bat and stabbing her. When the sergeant asked if it was practice for the next one a little bit Derek replied yeah I guess so. On June nineteenth two thousand seventeen Derek’s aunt provided testimony that proved to be significant in the trial. Carmelia Saretzky recalled being surprised to see her nephew at church on September eighth two thousand fifteen as it was the first time that she had seen him there in years. She described the encounter noting he was sitting near the candles slouched down he had a big smile very happy to see me but it quickly turned to sorrow and sadness he looked lonely he was shaking.

She recalled that she invited Derek to supper at her home but she observed that he just wasn’t himself and noted that he would occasionally blurt out incriminating things that they couldn’t make sense of. She said that she encouraged her nephew to go to the police and turn himself in asking if what he had done was so serious that he could go to jail. Derek reportedly replied not unless they figure out it’s me which for context was in reference to the murder of three people. The following day Carmelia saw Derek again at church she took him out for coffee and then drove him to a rural property her family owns with her two sisters roughly seven kilometers from Blairmore which the family refers to as the ranch. Carmelia recalled that Derek wandered around the property and showed particular interest in the wood pile near the fire pit according to an agreed statement of facts Carmelia’s son contacted police on September fifteenth after discovering that the fire pit was still smoldering and it was at this location that Haley Blanchett’s remains were found although the cause of death could not be determined due to the severe burning of her remains. On June twenty eighth two thousand seventeen a jury found Derek guilty on all counts including three counts of first degree murder and one count of committing an indignity to human remains. The jury reached its verdict after just over three hours of deliberation and on August ninth Justice William Tieleman sentenced Derek to life in prison without the possibility of parole for seventy five years. On November twenty fourth two thousand twenty Derek appealed his conviction but the Alberta Court of Appeals unanimously rejected his application and upheld the original verdict. The community of Coleman Blairmore and the wider Crowsnest Pass region came together to mourn the loss of Haley Dunar Blanchett Terry Blanchett and Hannah Mekach. On September sixteenth two thousand fifteen a candlelight vigil was held in Fernie at Rotary Park where residents gathered to honor Terry and Haley additionally a public vigil was held in Blairmore where Royal Canadian Mounted Police victim services confirmed the discovery of Haley’s remains. The father and daughter were laid to rest on October ninth two thousand fifteen with a private service planned for the morning and a public service later in the day in Coleman allowing both family and the wider community to pay their respects. Hannah Mekach a sixty nine year old woman from Coleman who lived alone was remembered for her kindness and love for animals and children and a GoFundMe campaign was organized to assist with her funeral expenses raising four thousand five hundred and ten Canadian dollars. Funeral arrangements for Hannah were handled by the Fanton Funeral Chapel the same chapel that served Terry and Haley and the loss of these three lives devastated the community yet residents chose to honor the memory of Haley Terry and Hannah not by the horrors of Derek’s crimes but by celebrating the joy love and impact that they brought into the world.