Crowsnest Pass triple murders' anniversary reveals lingering sadness

A year after a southern Alberta communitywas torn apart by the murders of a young girl, her father, and an elderly womaneach of the families still struggle with their own emotions, while searching for the right words to extend to others.

"We are so sorry, so sorry for what they're going through. It torments us. It's nightmarish and we just, our heartsare broken for them,"saidJudyMegli, grandmother of Derek Saretzky.

A man who lived inBlairmore, DerekSaretzky, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of TerryBlanchette, his two-year-old daughterHaileyDunbar-Blanchetteand 69-year-oldHanneMeketech.

"We can't go and console them because, oh God, how they must hate us," said Megli.

The Blanchette family declined to be interviewed, but in a statement they offer their condolences to Meketech's family and friends, as well as toSaretzky's.

"Wewould also like to send a prayer for peace to the Saretzky family asthey are just as much victims in this situation as we are. We arestill awaiting justice and closure for Terry and Hailey's horrificmurders. Their deaths have left a void in our family that's beyondrepair," saidAmanda Blanchette, Terry's sister,on behalf of the family.

Crime timeline

69-year-oldMeketech'sbody was found in her home in Coleman, on Sept. 9, 2015. Police said in the weeks following thather death was notconnected to the deaths of Blanchetteand his toddler daughter, even though they happened less than a week apart.

• Derek Saretzky to face jury trial in May 2017 for murder charges
• Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette case: What we know

Blanchette'sbody was later found in hisBlairmorehome on the morning of Sept. 14, 2015. His daughter was missing, prompting an Amber Alert. Her mysterious disappearance resonated with people across the country who prayed for her safe return.

"It just absolutely unfolded like a really slow nightmare, I would put it that way," saidBlairmore resident Wendy Valley, who knows the Blanchettes.

"I know I was feeling fear, I was raising three children down the street," saidAmber Koskela, who worked with Blanchette. "You didn't know who or what was happening, who had done it, at the time there was no suspects, so it was scary."

RCMPfound the young girl's remains ina rural area Sept. 15.

Derek Saretzky was arrested and charged with their murders.

You feel ... the pain of that family and you feel theshame- Judy Megli

Koskela said the revelationwas shocking.

"The tragedy, two lives lost, actually three, the young man in jail for it, another young man, threelives lost in this community."

Then months later, RCMP announced another charge againstSaretzkyfirst-degree murder for the death of Meketech.

"It'sso devastating on our side to think of it, that someone that we loved so deeply could have done that. And so you feel ... the pain of that family and you feel the shame and you, I don't know, there are so many emotions," saidMegli.

Some say it's still hard to understand what would haveled to these horrific crimes.

" I don't even know really how to describe it, it's like a numbness, [you]feel terrible for everyone, everyone that was involved, the families of the victims, and the family of the accused," saidValley.

"And there's that question why, everyone wonders why, and I don't think there's probably ever going to be an answer to that."

Painful reminders

Crownsest Pass councillor Bill Kovach says the community is strong, and has come together to support all of these families. But he says there will always be painful reminders.

" I mean you go on with your life but there's different things thatyou drive by the house where it all happened, it brings the memory backso and now I'm sure the anniversary will bring a lot of memories back too of the incident"

Jocelyn Thomas says she didn't know any of the families that well, yetthe crimes have left an impact on her.

"I still feel kind of haunted when I walk by where they lived and the playground where she played at," referring to the playground near the Blanchette home.

She says she also avoids the restaurant where Blanchette used to work as a cook.

"I'd been there before it happened, maybe once with a guy from the newspaper I used to write for, but I won't go in there anymore because just knowing about the sadness, even though I didn't know the people, I just would feel too upset, so I won't go there."

Lasting memories

While some would rather forget, people like Tammy Traceywho worked with Blanchetteare working hard to remember. She's managed to raise$20,000 tobuild a park bench with Terry and Hailey's faces on it and for somenew playground equipment.

"It's where she loved to go. It was her favourite place in the world and he always spent lots of time in the park with her and we thought that that would be a nice place for us to go and sit on a bench and watch some kids," saidTracey.

Dunbar-Blanchette's godmother, Rebecca Harrington,says people are being encouraged to wear blue and pink Wednesday inhonour of Blanchette and his daughter, because they were theirfavourite colours.

She says shewill always rememberthe way Haileyscrunched up her face, and Terry's love for his daughter.

"We would like everyone to remember who they were, and not just us."

Harringtonsays she's looking forward to seeing the trial through, soshe can take onemore step towards her own healing.

Hanne Meketech's friends haven't plannedany special events for the anniversary.

However they got together fora celebration last year to mark what would have been her 70th birthday.

• Read a statement from theBlanchette family.