Murder of Cassie Jo Stoddart

Brian Lee Draper (born in 1990) and Torey Michael Adamcik (born June 14, 1990)^[1] are former American high school students who are currently serving life sentences without the possibility of parole, for murdering their classmate Cassie Jo Stoddart on September 22, 2006.^[2]

Draper and Adamcik have been featured on BBC Three's Teen Killers: Life without Parole, originally shown on April 21, 2014. They also appear in the 2013 documentary Lost for Life.^[3][4][5] They were also featured on Investigation Discovery's Your Worst Nightmare which premiered in October 2014. Draper and Adamcik were interviewed as part of the Cold Justice episode, "Still of the Night" that aired in January 2015. They are also featured in a documentary entitled CopyCat Killers shown on the ID channel.

Background

Brian Draper spent most of his childhood residing in the state of Utah. He and his family moved to Pocatello, Idaho where he met Idaho native Torey Adamcik through Pocatello High School.

The murder

Cassie Jo Stoddart (December 21, 1989 – September 22, 2006), attended Pocatello High School, along with Draper and Adamcik. On the night of September 22, 2006, Cassie was house sitting for her aunt and was visited by her boyfriend Matt. Later, Draper and Adamcik showed up. The four decided to watch a movie together, until Draper and Adamcik said they'd prefer to go to a movie at a local theater, leaving Cassie and Matt at the home. At one point when Cassie and Matt were alone, the electricity was suddenly lost. However, it was restored before Matt was picked up by his mother. Unbeknownst to Cassie or Matt, Draper and Adamcik had returned to the house before Matt's departure (roughly 10:30 p.m). Having never gone to the theater, the two were lying in wait and later confessed to purposely shutting the power off. It is portrayed in the television series Your Worst Nightmare (see above reference), that they cut the power again before proceeding. They then entered the house and stabbed Stoddart 29 times; 9 wounds were fatal.^[6][7] It was revealed in the course of the investigation that Draper and Adamcik recorded their plan to murder Stoddart on video tape while they were at school.^[8]

Trial and sentencing

Draper and Adamcik were arrested on September 27, 2006 and charged with first degree murder and conspiracy to commit first degree murder.^[9] During the interrogations, both teens blamed each other. During interrogation, Draper claimed he was in the same room with Adamcik when Stoddart was killed but denied stabbing her. He later admitted stabbing her allegedly under commands from Adamcik. He also led the investigators to Black Rock Canyon where the teens disposed of the clothing, masks, and knives they used for the murder.^[10][11] It was revealed that Brian was impressed by Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold who committed the Columbine High School massacre, and it was later revealed that Adamcik was inspired by the Scream horror film franchise. Adamcik's trial started on May 31, 2007 and ended on June 8, 2007 with the guilty verdict. On April 17, 2007, Draper was also found guilty. On August 21, 2007, both were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility for parole for first degree murder and 30 years-to-life for conspiracy to commit murder.^[8][9][12]

Both Adamcik and Draper are serving their time at Idaho State Correctional Institution. Their attorneys filed separate appeals at Supreme Court in September 2010 and April 2011.^[12][13][14] The first appeal for Adamcik was denied in a 3/2 decision, as was Draper's appeal.^[15] Torey Adamcik is undergoing a new hearing for post-conviction release. He claims that character witnesses could have changed the outcome of the sentencing, but that his former attorney, against Adamcik's parents' wishes, chose not to call upon these witnesses, because otherwise, the prosecution would have submitted even more damaging evidence.^[16]

The Stoddart family also filed a lawsuit against the Idaho School District. They claim that the school was negligent and should have known Draper and Adamcik posed a threat to others. Both the civil court and the Supreme Court dismissed the case stating the action of the killers was not foreseeable.^[17]

References