The Richardson Family Murders
I’ve heard about this case many times, and every time I hear or read about it, it surprises me every time. I think it surprises me because of the age of one of the killers, and the fact that they were able to kill their family. Even though this case happened in Canada, this is one of the cases I’ve remembered since I first heard about it.
Background of Jasmine Richardson
Jasmine was 12 years old, and she lived in Medicine Hat, Canada, with her family. Her father and the victims were her father, Marc, her mother, Debra and her younger brother Jacob.
Jasmine or JR
Jasmine’s online username was runawaydevil, and she said she was 15 years old. She described herself as a Wiccan, nocturnal, awkward and insane. She also said she was into dark poetry, criminal psychology, blood, kinky shit and human anatomy.
Jasmine also started dating a 23 year old named Jeremy Steinke. Jasmine and Jeremy started thinking of their plans to kill her family, once she was forbidden to see him.
Background of Jeremy Steinke
Jeremy was 23 years old, but described himself to anyone who would listen as a “300 year werewolf.” He also liked the taste of blood, and wore a vile of blood around his neck. (WTF).
Jeremy had an account on the website vampirefreaks.com and listed his interests as scarification, pain, kinky fetishes, blood and razor blades.
Jasmine and Jeremy Steinke
The Plan
Jeremy and Jasmine continued to talk to each other on vampirefreaks.com and Jasmine wrote to Jeremy:
““I have this plan. It begins with me killing them and ends with me living with you”.”
Jeremy’s response was:
““Payment! My Lover’s rents are totally unfair; they say they really care; they don’t know what is going on they just assume. As their greed continues to consume, she is slowly going insane. She continues to thank that I came, into her life to help her out, and to stop what they keep trying to shout. It’s all total bullshit. Their throats I want to slit. They will regret the shit they have done. Especially when I see to it that they are gone. They shall pay for their insolence. Finally there shall be silence. Their blood shall be payment!””
One of their favorite movies was Natural Born Killers, and they watched this the night before they killed Jasmine’s family.
The Murders
On April 22, 2006, Jeremy killed Marc and Debra and Jasmine distracted her brother, Jacob, in the upstairs part of their home.
Debra, Marc and Jacob
Jeremy then told Jasmine to stab her brother. As Jacob pleaded for his life, Jasmine stabbed him in the chest and Jeremy slit his throat.
Jasmine and Jeremy parted ways for a bit after the murders. Jeremy went home, and Jasmine took a cab to a 7-11, and then walked to Jeremy’s trailer about 2 hours later. They showed absolutely no remorse, and went out to eat at a restaurant together and reportedly were laughing.
Discovery of the Richardson Family
The next day, April 23, one of Jacob’s friends came over to see if Jacob was home. The little boy went home and told his mom that he thought he saw a body through the window, his mom called the police.
A detective named Brent Secondiak arrived, and looked through the window and discovered the body. He didn’t do anything further until he called for backup.
It was reported that Debra was probably killed first, and stabbed many times. Marc was killed next, and was found in the basement. There was also evidence that he tried to fight back with a screwdriver. Jacob was found last, in his bedroom, with his throat slashed. The police determined that Jasmine Richardson was not in the house, and an Amber alert was put out since she was 12.
Arrests
The police determined that Jasmine and Jeremy were the culprits, after they found their accounts and messages online.
On April 24, 2006, they were arrested in Saskatchewan, for the murder of Jasmine’s family. They also showed no remorse when they were arrested, they were found kissing, cuddling and laughing.
While they were in jail, Jasmine and Jeremy continued to talk by writing letters to each other. Jeremy proposed to Jasmine, which she accepted. They also bragged about the murders, and said they were “legends” and “immortal.”
On May 3, 2006, one of Jeremy’s friends, a girl named Kacey Lancaster, who was 19, was also arrested. She was charged with being an accessory to murder. She drove them in her truck and disposed of evidence. The charges were eventually dropped, and she only received a year of house arrest.
Trials
Jasmine’s trial started in June 2007. Jasmine or “JR” was asked why she killed her family. She said she was in a zombie like state, and Jeremy killed her family. She also said was joking about wanting to kill her family.
On July 9, 2007, JR was found guilty on three counts of first degree murder.
On November 8, 2007, she was sentenced to 10 years in prison. She was already credit with 18 months in prison. Her sentenced would be followed by 4 years in a psychiatric institution and 4 1/2 years under conditional supervision.
Jeremy Steinke went to trial in November 2008. He was found guilty on three counts of first degree murder, and on December 15, 2008, was sentenced to three life sentences. He will be eligible for parole after serving 25 years.
When Jeremy was asked why he killed the Richardson’s, he said:
“When you found your soul mate, you do anything for them, I did anything.””
Jasmine Richardson’s life today
In September 2011, Jasmine started attending classes at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta, during her last months of her sentence.
She was released from her 10 year sentence at a psychiatric facility in the fall of 2011. She also expressed remorse for the murders.
Her sentence was completed in May 2016.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I have a lot of thoughts. First, a 23 year old was in love with a 12 year old????? Her family had every right to forbid her from seeing Jeremy. Plus, Jeremy said he was a werewolf and apparently bragged about it to everyone who would listen. Jasmine’s parents probably thought who the eff is this kid?
I think both Jeremy and Jasmine had mental health issues, and that is no way gives them to the right to murder anyone. I also think they were very lonely people, but they were a match made in hell. They got together because they had the same interests and a family was killed because of it, and they both destroyed their lives, well Jeremy did because Jasmine is out there living life.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richardson_family_murders
