1781: Terrorists attack church!
Editor's note: Darienite Jack Gault, who recently finished writing a book about Talmadge Hill, takes us back to Darien during the Revolutionary War, when Patriots and Loyalists battled for Connecticut's allegiance. The story begins on July 22, 1781.

Serial Killer Gets 25 Years Without Parole

The Vancouver Sun has reported that serial killer and Port Coquitlam pig farmer Robert (Willie) Pickton has been found guilty of the second-degree murder of six women. It is believed that he butchered their bodies in his slaughterhouse.

On Tuesday, B.C. Supreme Court Justice J. Williams sentenced him to life in prison without parole for 25 years, which drew loud cheers from the victims' families.

"This is that rare case that properly warrants the maximum," the judge said adding that Pickton showed no remorse for the murders.

"Mr. Pickton, there is really nothing that I can say to adequately express the revulsion the community feels about these killings."

Police suspected Pickton for years, but were unable to find any bodies. Then in February 2002 a rookie Coquitlam RCMP officer executed a warrant on the Pickton farm to search for illegal weapons. At that time, he found personal items that belonged to the missing women. A search warrant was then issued and hundreds of officers searched the farm and found partial remains of the victims. As well, the personal possessions were linked to four of the victims by DNA.

During the jury watched a video in which Pickton confessed to an undercover officer posing as a cellmate that he killed 49 women and fully intended to kill more to make it an even 50. He intended to let things die down after that, before resuming his killing spree. The court heard him says that he only got caught because he got “sloppy.”

All of the women had mysteriously disappeared from Vancouver’s downtown east side between 1997 and 2001. Initially, he was charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of 26 women. The 58-year-old is yet to face a second trial for another 20 counts of first-degree murder. A hearing is scheduled for Jan. 24 to set a date for the second trial. If convicted on all charges, Pickton will go down in history as Canada’s most notorious serial killer.

Pickton has been in custody since February 2002, when police began a massive forensic search, where the killer often butchered pigs late at night. The six-hectare farm is worth more than $7 million and is co-owned by Pickton's brother and sister, who have not attended the trial, which began last Jan. 22.

Defence lawyer Peter Ritchie had asked for 15 to 20 years for the parole ineligibility period because he said Pickton had no previous criminal record, no history of violence and was hard working.

"There has been a considerable history of kindness to other people," Ritchie said.

Forgive me if I show no mercy for this ruthless murderer. First of all, I cannot believe that he was not charged with first-degree murder of the first six women: Sereena Abotsway, Georgina Papin, Marnie Frey, Brenda Wolfe, Mona Wilson and Andrea Joesbury. These were all real women with lives, families and friends!

First-degree murder means it was planned and deliberate or a murder in the course of a sexual assault or the killing of a police officer. Second-degree murder includes all other killings. Is it not obvious that Pickton lured these women to his farm with the full intent of slaughtering them?

If it ever happens that Pickton gets out of jail, I am quite sure that one way or another – he will be slaughtered!

What follows is a Victim-Impact Statement

by Rickey Papin, brother of Georgina Papin:

I am the older brother of Georgina Papin.

On behalf of my family and late sister, we will forever hate you for your heinous crime. You stole the life and spirit of our sister and left seven children without a mother and destroyed a family forever.

I doubt you will ever show any remorse or guilt for any of your victims that you brutally tortured and murdered.

You are a sick, repulsive and hideous excuse for a human being. You have no respect whatsoever, if any, for the human race. One day you will meet your own fate and your death will forever get rid of your evil presence on this world.

I want to see you pay for your evil and atrocious crimes against innocent women.

One day I hope to cross paths with you somehow, someday, one way or another.

There will never be closure for the true justice I seek and want for you. You deserve a worse death than your innocent victims.

Your dark and twisted mind that compelled you to rape, torture and kill innocent women for your own lust and satisfaction only proves that you have no heart or soul. Blood for blood is what you truly deserve and a taste of your own medicine.

Right now the only thing keeping you alive is a concrete cell, kept away and out of sight by everyone. Nobody will ever miss you. Ironically you are now caged up like a pig in a pen. I know and guarantee that once you are sentenced you will end up being locked up and put into solitary confinement for your own protection. You are now the hunted and everyone wants a piece of you. Even in prison, you are a marked man. You already should realize this by now.

Sooner or later, one day that cell door will be opened up. And you will be the one fighting for your own life like your victims did. I want revenge for my sister against you and anyone else involved. Personally, I believe you had help committing these atrocious acts of murder. Whatever secrets you hold onto and are hiding will one day be found out. You have no one or anywhere to run or turn to. Your time on this world is over and your life has ended.

About the Author

Martha Jette is a former journalist, now author of five books. To learn more about her, please visit:

http://www.angelfire.com/pwtd

http://www.freewebs.com/paranormalbooks

http://www.magicspectacles.bravehost.com