By CHAT News Today

Derek Saretzky found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder

Jun 28, 2017 | 4:29 PM

LETHBRIDGE — A Lethbridge jury has found Derek Saretzky guilty of three counts of first-degree murder.

The jury deliberated for almost three hours before returning guilty verdicts for Saretzky in the deaths of two-year-old Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette, her father Terry Blanchette and 69-year-old Hanne Meketech in the Crowsnest Pass in September 2015.

Saretzky was also found guilty of committing an indignity to Hailey’s body.

Terry’s body was found in his home in Blairmore on Sept. 14, and Hailey was missing, triggering an Amber Alert. A day later, Hailey’s body was found in a campsite outside of the town.

Jurors witnessed graphic evidence and testimony, including a video where Saretzky confessed to beating and stabbing Terry to death at his home, kidnapping Hailey and strangling, dismembering and cannibalizing the toddler at the campsite before burning her body in a fire pit.

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Meketech was found beaten and stabbed to death in her home on September 9. Saretzky was charged with her death in April 2016, a month after confessing to the crime to an RCMP officer while in jail.

Saretzky will receive an automatic life sentence for first-degree murder.