Cassie Jo Stoddart was a sixteen-year-old girl, destined for greatness. She had lots of friends, was a straight-A student, and stayed out of trouble. Potacello, Idaho was a largely-Mormon town in southeast Idaho, where life was simple and everyone felt safe. All of that changed in September 2006.
On September 22, 2006, Brian Draper and Torey Adamcik murdered Cassie Jo Stoddart. Horrendously both murderers were her classmates and whom she thought were friends. Torey Adamcik later stated he was inspired by the Scream horror film franchise.
The Murder of Cassie Jo Stoddart
Cassie had agreed to housesit for her uncle, Frank Contreras, and his wife, Allison, for the weekend at the Whispering Cliffs residence. That Friday night, her boyfriend, Matt Beckham, invited Brian Draper and Torey Adamcik to come over to watch a movie. After a while, the two boys said that they’d rather go to a local movie theater instead, so they left.
Approximately fifteen minutes after Adamcik and Draper departed, the power at the Whispering Cliffs residence went out while Cassie and Matt were watching a movie. At that time Matt called his mother to ask for permission to stay the night as Cassie was frightened, however permission was denied. Matt was picked up by his mother a short while later. When Matt was about to leave, he called Adamcik to inform him that he would be going home. After Brian Draper and Torey Adamcik learned that Matt would go home, they reentered the house. As they entered the home, Brian cut the lights at the circuit breaker, making the house inside pitch black. Whilst hiding in the basement, they hoped Cassie would go downstairs in order to put the power back on however – most likely too frightened to go down – Cassie stayed in the living room. So they went upstairs themselves a short time later, disguised with masks and dark clothing and stabbed Cassie to death. The autopsy revealed that she had been stabbed approximately thirty times, with nine – twelve of those wounds being fatal.
Cassie’s thirteen-year-old cousin was the one who found Cassie dead on the living room floor of the house nearly two days later, as the family did not return home until Sunday. Three days later, Draper and Adamcik were arrested and charged with the murder. In their interrogations, both of the assailants blamed each other, but it was later found that they had recorded a video of their plan to murder Cassie before the attack. They also revealed that they had intentionally cut the power, and that they had never gone to the movie theater. Instead, they had been waiting for Cassie to be alone so they could attack her. Horrendously, Matt and Adamcik spent the following day together. Matt tried repeatedly to call Cassie throughout the day but was unable to get an answer.
During the investigation, a video was found of Draper and Adamcik talking about killing Cassie right after the murder had taken place. Brian Draper led authorities to a canyon in which they had hidden the knives and clothing they had used when committing the murder. It was found out that he was enthralled by the Columbine High School shootings and admired the two shooters, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. Just like Randy Robert Stairs, who saw the shooters as heroes and ended up killing 3 people at a grocery store. Additionally, it was widely known that Adamcik also had a strong interest in horror movies (admitting he was inspired by the Scream horror franchise) and “mockumentaries”.
While Cassie’s entire family has undoubtedly suffered from grief as a result of this terrible loss, three family members in particular have been greatly impacted. Frank and Allison Contreras, whose house Cassie was murdered in, left their house that day and never went back. The local sheriff’s office helped with temporary housing and cleaning up the scene of the crime, but the Contreras family could never bring themselves to go back. They have tried to sell the home each year since the attack, but no one wants to buy a house with such a history. Frank’s stepdaughter, who had found Cassie’s body, suffered a breakdown and attempted suicide.
Cassie Jo Stoddart’s family filed a lawsuit against the school district, claiming that the school should have foreseen that Brian Draper and Torey Adamcik posed a threat to others. The case was dismissed, with the courts claiming that the actions were not foreseeable and the school district was not at fault.
The only silver lining Cassie’s family has is knowing that her killers have been brought to justice and are currently serving life terms in prison. Every so often, the men and their lawyers will appeal the conviction, so far to no avail. We can only hope that judges who hear these cases continue to make the right decision and honor the memory of Cassie Jo Stoddart.
Evidence found of the Murder
On September 27, 2006, Draper agreed to show the officers where he and Adamcik had attempted to dispose of items used in Stoddart’s murder. Together with several detectives and his father he went to the Black Rock Canyon area and directed the detectives to a site where evidence from the murder was buried.
A partially burned note was later recovered that may have been the note written at this time. At trial, one of the detectives testified that he believed this note to have been written by Adamcik. The portion of the note that was not burned reads:
… is home alone stop out the house runs into Torey We murder Cassie e is home alone ouse…. Brian chases her th her (unclear) + (unclear) … kill her. c. If Cassie + Matt come ho A noise (unclear) … kill Matt + (unclear) …
The evidence located included:
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- Stick matches.
- A pair of black boots.
- A pair of blue rubber gloves.
- A pair of Athletics Works brand fingerless gloves.
- A melted brown hydrogen peroxide bottle.
- A multi-colored mask.
- A large dagger-type knife with a sheath.
- A silver and black-handled knife with a signature of Sloan written on the inside.
- A small dagger-type knife with a sheath.
- A Sony videotape. This is the videotape that was later repaired and straightened in order to make it playable and transcribed as above.
- A black-handled serrated folding knife. Later DNA testing revealed that Stoddart’s blood was present on this knife.
- A partly burned piece of paper with writing in pencil.
- A red and white mask. Later DNA testing revealed a partial DNA profile of Adamcik on the mask.
- A single black glove. Later DNA testing revealed a partial DNA profile from an unknown male.
- A pair of partially burned black Puma brand gloves. Later DNA testing revealed that Stoddart’s blood had soaked into these gloves.
- A blue plastic garbage bag.
- A partially burned black long-sleeved Haggar brand dress shirt.
- A Calvin Klein black dress shirt. Later DNA testing revealed that Stoddart’s blood was present on the shirt cuff.
- A white and grey sock.
- A small piece of black cord.
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Transcripts of the Tapes
Warning: These are authentic transcripts from the tapes of Brian Draper and Torey Adamcik before and after they murdered Cassie Jo Stoddart. Parkaman Magazine made them available so that we may never forget the horrendous crimes done by these individuals and – especially – the reason why such killers should remain behind bars. Proceed at own caution. CLICK HERE to see the video and full transcripts of all their tapes on the murder of Cassie Jo Stoddart.
Media
Brian Draper and Torey Adamcik have been featured on Teen Killers: Life without Parole. They also appear in the 2013 documentary Lost for Life. They were also featured on Investigation Discovery’s Your Worst Nightmare, Episode “When lights go out” (UK). Draper and Adamcik were interviewed as part of Cold Justice, Episode “Still of the Night“. Most recent they were featured in a documentary entitled CopyCat Killers shown on Investigation Discovery.
What a couple of punk pieces of shit. I hope they never let them out. This girl Cassie sounds like she was a really good person who cared about people regardless of looks or popularity. She was exactly the kind of person that is very rare in this day and age of a very shallow,vain,and cold population. There is something going very wrong with our youth. When me and my peers were teenager’s we for the most part were always very respectful of people’s feelings and people who didn’t Know each other would make small talk in public. I have noticed teens and twenty to thirty something’s don’t do that anymore. The world just keeps getting colder year by year . It is a sickness.
It’s biblical. In the last days before the end, the love of man will grow cold. People will be lovers of themselves, and lovers of money. Boastful, disrespectful, prideful. lovers of the world rather than lovers of god and people.
Stop with the biblical bullshit. There is no God, there is no heaven or hell, and the world is not come to close through the rapture. Fairy tales
Right Bill, because your beliefs are the only correct ones?
Live and Let live guy.
I’m not making fun of your beliefs, and I could believe me, you are entitled to them just like A.M. Gibmney is entitled to theres.
I knew cassie. She was just as she is described. She got along with everyone she met and was just overall an amazing person.
Hello, so my Aunt and uncle CURRENTLY lIve in the house next to where the stoddart murder took place, and my mothErs frIend HAPPENS to be her cousin. I have exPerienced the aftermath fiRst hand of the mUrder
He led the investigators to Black Rock Canyon where the youths had disposed of the clothing, masks, and knives they used for the murder.
Yeah we just read that,damn why repeat it that’s stupid.
Yeah duh we just read that why repeat it,fucking idiot.
Yeah duh we read that already you idiot.
I think these boys that are allowed to continue to make documentaries and be in the spotlight is disgusting. They should be locked away and forgotten about. There’s no fixing these guys and giving them the access to complete these documentaries is just what they want. I worked with this mother when this happened and it was the worst feeling in the world knowing this seat is empty next to me because of what happened to her daughter. The only thing to remember in this case is this beautiful girl that was taken from this life not anything to do with these sick individuals that are poor pitty themselves because they were children when this happened. There’s no bringing back Cassie so why should these two be able to be considered being let go because they were kids when this happened????? Absolute no way!!! They’ve made their bed, they can lie it and be forgotten.
These two evil people should be doing hard time, not making films about what they did to that innocent young girl. This society has gone too soft on criminals for too long. If it was up to me, I would have given them the death penalty. I hope her family sued these creeps & their families so that they would have to pay for their behavior. I can’t believe that these boys started acting like murders on that one day. Someone in these boys life missed the signs of their mental sickness & that is unacceptable!
To Cheryl Boyd…they were not given the death penalty because minors CANNot be given that in Idaho. They received the strongest sentence allowed.
but miller vs. alabama could unfortunately have an affect in the future. i agree that those two guys deserve to be locked up for life, but despite the idaho supreme court ruling in adamcik’s recent appeal that the miller vs. alabama guidelines were followed in his sentencing hearing despite that case not being decided yet, i’m worried that justice Candy dale, who’s presiding over adamcik’s current federal habeas corpus petition, could think differently about that, as there have unfortunately been other cases where juvenile lifers did get new sentencing hearings following miller, despite them originally getting discretionary life without parole sentences. my fingers are crossed that justice candy dale will deny adamcik’s habeas corpus petition, but unfortunatly, it’s probably not going to be for a while until she makes her decision which makes it a lot more nerve wrecking.
First, let me put out my sincere condolenses to Cassie’s family and friends.
I, in nO way, feel any empathy towards these two men, who committed such a horrendus crIme. I agree with sevEral others in that they do Indeed deserve life in prison.
My reason for commenting is that this boy, torey, claims he is innocent And being blamed for Brian’s crIme, and his parents sit there, agreeing with this pyschopath. Their son is innOcent? Shame on You as parents…have they just ignored thE tApe that the boys made? Again, shame on you as parents. give cassie’s Memory the respect that it deserves. teach that boy to own up to his crime….
Right lisa? HE was on the tape and allowed it to happen. He could’ve pulled the plug and said, “hey Brian, This is a really bad idea, we shouldn’t do this.” But no, he was equally as responsible for THE murder as brian was. He allowed it to happen. His parents are real SCUMBAGS by saying, “he was innocent.”
Yes, it’s ridiculous how delusional Adamcik’s parents are regarding this case, and you are right Jacob that even if he didn’t stab Cassie, he’s still 100% as guilty as the videotape showed that he was in on the plan to murder Cassie. And what I especially find sickening is how I actually used to support that POS all because I believed the parents delusional claims at first. Thank god I eventually got myself a reality check on this matter.
so if you don’t get straight A’s you deserve to die??? like wtf D:<
I hope those two cockroaches get shanked to death in prison.
This was absolutely a horrific crime. THERE IS SO MUCH OF THIS WITH TEENS AND I JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW PARENTS OF THESE BOYS DIDN’T KNOW WHAT THERE CHILDREN WERE LIKE. NORMAL KIDS JUST DON’T DECIDE AT A CERTAIN MOMENT I AM GOING TO KILL SOMEONE.PARENTS DON’T SPEND ENOUGH TIME TO GET TO KNOW THERE OWN KIDS AND WHAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF DOING. THESE PARENTS LOST THEIR BOYS EVEN BEFORE THE MURDER. YES I DO PUT BLAME ON PARENTS.
This two vicious bas**rd should never get out. In our country there to easy on murders this poor girl lost her life. And these two pricks should never get out.
I agree with you all that those two pieces of filth deserve to rot in prison until they die, but I am curious to know though. If, and only if, you all did consider Judge McDermott a hero when he imposed life without parole, did you all consider Judge Mitchell Brown a hero as well when he rejected Adamcik’s post conviction petition in early 2016? In addition, if you all considered the Idaho Supreme Court heroes as well when they first upheld Adamcik’s conviction and sentence back in 2011, did you all consider them even bigger heroes when they upheld his conviction and sentence again when 2017 almost became 2018?
There’s one other question I forgot to ask. If another inmate were to brutally harm those two bastards in whatever way, would you all create a gofundme page for that inmate?
Yep.