EDMONTON – As the investigation continues into the murder of two-year-old Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette and her father, 27-year-old Terry Blanchette, more details are emerging about the 22-year-old Alberta man accused of the devastating crimes.
READ MORE: Outpouring of grief over death of two-year-old Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette
Derek Saretzky, of Blairmore, Alta., was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon and charged Wednesday morning with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of committing an indignity to a human body.
Shannon Saretsky appeared to speak on behalf of the Saretsky family in a Facebook post Wednesday night, pleading for the public to “think about everyone involved” before making comments on the case.
“I’m not defending anything by any means…but seeing all of the things everyone is saying is extremely difficult for the family on this side of the tragedy,” she wrote.
“Yes it’s a disgusting and heartbreaking thing that has occurred, but coming from someone who so obviously knows this man (just take a look at my last name) you have to understand that this is extremely shocking to us and is killing us inside too because he really was never a bad guy.”
READ MORE: $20,000 raised in 24 hours for funerals of Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette and Terry Blanchette
Saretsky’s post said she can’t wrap her head around how something like this could have been done by someone she knows personally.
“Please try to remember that we probably feel worse than ANYONE else toward the other family for everything that has happened,” she wrote. “We have to live knowing that someone in our family was involved in causing so much pain and hurt. Please think about everyone involved before spewing such hateful/hurtful comments, that’s all I ask.”
Police have said Derek Saretzky was an “acquaintance” of Blanchette, but refused to elaborate on the nature of the relationship.
Hailey’s mother, Cheyenne Dunbar, said she and Saretzky were friends, but haven’t been in touch for years.
“We were just close friends and I haven’t talked to him in three years. I haven’t talked to him at all. I haven’t talked to anybody here. I live in Edmonton.”
“When I knew him, he was a great kid.”
READ MORE: ‘She was my baby’ – Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette’s mother Cheyenne breaks down
Dunbar said in the past, she hung out with Saretzky and his friends “every once in a while” and there was never any tension.
“It tears me apart knowing friends would do something like that,” she said.
Dunbar said she wasn’t aware of any relationship between Saretzky and Blanchette.
“I didn’t even know they knew each other.”
Watch below: Two-year-old Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette’s mother, 20-year-old Cheyenne Dunbar, spoke to reporters Wednesday after charges were laid in the murder of her little girl and her father.
READ MORE: Timeline –Abduction of 2-year-old Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette
Cheyenne’s father, Kevin Dunbar, said he didn’t know Saretzky.
“There was no connection, sexually or otherwise, between her and Derek,” he said Wednesday afternoon. “That’s not what’s going on.”
Hailey’s grandfather said he was trying to “forget” Blairmore ever since he moved the family away.
“It’s terrible, all the kids out here are into drugs and just being bad kids, and it was having an effect on my kids,” he said. “We needed to move.”
Blanchette’s body was found inside the family home in Blairmore, Alta. Monday morning.
RCMP said they found Hailey’s body in a rural area near Blairmore Tuesday afternoon.
Officers say they are investigating a possible connection between the murders of Hailey and Terry – and the death of 69-year-old Hannah Meketech in the nearby community of Coleman. Global News has confirmed that Meketech lived next door to Saretsky’s grandparents.
Saretzky is scheduled to appear in Lethbridge Provincial Court on Sept. 23.
Watch below: Video coverage of the abduction and death of Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette, and murder of her father
With files from Emily Mertz and Slav Kornik
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