Ep 2. The Bad Man

The Case That Haunts Me is a true crime documentary series that details some of the most chilling and mysterious cases that Canadian law enforcement officers have investigated. Season 1 episode 2 is titled The Bad Man, and it focuses on a case of a sadistic and elusive killer who terrorized a small town in rural Canada.

The episode starts with an introduction to the case and the victim, a little girl named Jodi Parrack. Jodi was an 11-year-old girl who lived in the town of Sarnia with her mother, stepfather, and younger brother. On November 15, 2007, Jodi was walking home from a nearby friend's house when she disappeared. Her mother reported her missing, and an extensive search was conducted throughout the town and the surrounding area. After two days of searching, Jodi's body was found in a church cemetery just a few blocks away from her home.

The investigation into Jodi's murder was led by Detectives Andy and Randy Arndt, who were both seasoned investigators with decades of experience. They quickly realized that this was a highly unusual case, as there were no witnesses, no suspects, and no clear motive. The only clue they had was a boot print found near Jodi's body, which they believed belonged to the killer.

Over the next few weeks, the detectives interviewed hundreds of people, including family members, friends, neighbors, and sex offenders living in the area. They also analyzed surveillance footage from nearby stores and gas stations, hoping to catch a glimpse of the perpetrator. But despite their best efforts, the case went cold and remained unsolved for almost a year.

Then, one day, an anonymous tipster called the police with a lead. The tipster claimed that a man named Michael Rafferty was involved in Jodi's murder and that he had been seen lurking in the area on the day she disappeared. Rafferty was a 28-year-old laborer who lived in Woodstock, Ontario, with his girlfriend, Terri-Lynne McClintic. The detectives followed up on the lead and discovered that Rafferty had a criminal record and was known to associate with drug dealers and prostitutes.

The detectives interviewed Rafferty and McClintic separately and found several discrepancies in their stories. McClintic eventually confessed to being involved in Jodi's murder and led the detectives to the spot where they had dumped Jodi's body. McClintic later implicated Rafferty in the crime, claiming that he had kidnapped, raped, and killed Jodi while she waited for her house key outside the town's arena.

But Rafferty denied any involvement in Jodi's murder, claiming that McClintic had acted alone and that he had only helped her dispose of the body. The detectives were faced with a difficult task of verifying McClintic's story and gather enough evidence to charge Rafferty with murder.

The rest of the episode follows the detectives' pursuit of justice and the twists and turns of the trial that followed. It's a gripping and emotional story that highlights the dedication and tenacity of Canadian law enforcement and the impact that a heinous crime like this can have on a small community.

Overall, The Case That Haunts Me season 1 episode 2 is a powerful and thought-provoking episode that raises important questions about justice, trauma, and the personal toll of investigating crimes like these.