The time has come to set some things straight. I have, from the beginning, tried to not focus a lot on Daniel's death, but more on our journey...as a family, trying to come to terms with such an unspeakable tragedy. We live our lives trying to uphold his life, and not focus on his death. How he lived, and not how he died. But, unfortunately, I am unable to hold my tongue any longer. Tonight, I am going to talk about some of the events leading up to Daniel's murder, and some of the facts surrounding it.
Daniel moved to Victoria in June. He was super excited to start a new life there. I have to admit that I encouraged this move in many ways. He wanted to spread his wings. He wanted to live in a city...he wanted to do something he was proud of and make something of himself. He wanted to go to school, but before that could happen, he needed to make some money and have a concrete plan as to what it was exactly he wanted to be. He knew it would be in the music field, he was just unsure in what capacity. His dream was to play, to sing...to write. But he knew that he had to have a job/career to survive. He wanted to be a husband and a father some day and knew that working for 9 or 10 dollars an hour wouldn't provide for him the life he dreamed. Daniel had just kind of found his voice. Not that it had changed at all in the last few years, but he finally could hear what some of us lucky enough to have heard him sing...heard. Daniel wanted to be a famous musician. Lofty dream maybe, but he had stars in his eyes and was making huge strides towards this dream. He was playing at open mics, singing for people and gaining confidence every day. People really did love him, and loved when he played.
When the first job Daniel hoped for didn't pan out, he started to get worried. He needed to work. He really wanted to give Victoria a fair shake, he didn't want to come home. He called me one day and asked to borrow a few dollars. He told me that he was going to the employment centre the next day an he was going to find a job. He never made it to that employment centre.
He texted me the next day with some great news. He was pretty stoked because he got a job! He told me that he was on his way to the employment centre when he saw a HELP WANTED sign in the window of the 7-11. He told his friend that he was with to just wait a moment he wanted to go see what it was about. He walked in, asked if he could have an applications and drop off a resume...and his life changed. In those 30 seconds of standing there, asking a clerk.
There his destiny changed forever.
He told me, the day that I visited him a few days before his death, that his boss was in the back room looking at the monitor that day and saw him standing in line. He later told Daniel that when he saw him, he thought the lead singer from Hedley was in the store. (Hedley was his boss' favorite band). His boss left the back room and came out to meet Daniel. He hired him on the spot.
Destiny
Daniel was so proud. He got the job, he was to start the next day. Within a couple days Daniel was texting me telling me how much he liked his boss. He was taking him to dinner at a fancy restaurant to express his gratitude for Daniel catching on so fast and doing such a good job. Daniel felt appreciated and fortunate to have met such a generous man. This manager continued to shower Daniel with friendship and care. They became fast friends and soon they were sharing personal stories with each other. Daniel was going through a bit of an emotional time over a girl ... and so was this guy. He poured out his heart to Daniel about how his fiance of 2 years had just broke off their engagement for no good reason. She lived in Calgary, and she broke his heart. Daniel told me that he helped this guy come to terms with his broken relationship. For as much as this person showered Daniel with praise and encouragement, Daniel felt equally important in this guys well being. He told Daniel all about how his mother and father were high powered lawyers in both Calgary and Victoria. They owned 2 firms, one in each city. That is until just under a year ago, this guy's father passed away after a long and brave fight with cancer. Daniel felt so badly for him. This poor guy bore alot of responsibility, trying to keep his family together. Especially since his father had been having an affair with a girl from the office who was now claiming part of the father's estate because they had a love child together. Poor guy. He seemed to be having some difficulty coping after all these complicating circumstances affecting his life. This guy was so distraught at times, on more than one occasion, he would text Daniel saying that he was going to probably kill himself soon. Of course, Daniel talked him out of it. As a reward for Daniel's kindness, this person offered Daniel a job at his mother's law firm in Victoria. Daniel was hired, by this guy, to be a legal secretary. Job was starting on September 1st. Isn't that amazing!!
DANIEL: 7/30/2011 @ 20:52 "Mum he is so nice to me. He's incredible. The big brother I never had. If it wasn't for him, I would have had to move home. you have to meet him ASAP"
STACEY:7/30/2011 @ 21:07 "Daniel, please thank him for me"
DANIEL: 7/30/2011 @ 21:59 " he is even more excited to meet you than I am to meet his Mum (my new boss) He cant wait :) :)"
Another great thing that happened was the fact that Daniel had convinced this person to continue his Law studies. You see, he had already completed 4 years of schooling to become a lawyer but dropped out when his father died. The stress of school and the problems with his estate were just too much. But, at Daniel's encouragement, he was going to enroll again in September and finish what he started so he could work in the law firm in Victoria and eventually take it over.
Daniel was set to meet his "New Boss" on Monday August 1st. Unfortunately, her younger son was sick that day so she couldn't fly in. But that was okay. She was going to be there for sure on Wednesday the third. After all, it was Daniel's first day of orientation at the firm that day. Oh, and "Don't worry about booking a dentist appointment for me in Revy when I am home for my visit, the firm has an amazing dental plan"
KNOW THIS
Everything I have just described so far about this piece of shit, Daniel's boss, his manager is
ALL LIES
....not Daniel's lies, he believed it all.
EVERYTHING DANIEL BELIEVED ABOUT THIS PERSON
WAS
A
LIE.
So, lets recap for a moment.
The fiance in Calgary that just broke up with him? LIE There was no girl. Ever. As a matter of fact there was never any girls in the picture. We have been contacted by people in Prince George who have informed us about what he does like. Since he was 16, maybe even before.
His mother and father were high powered lawyers in Calgary and Victoria and even owned firms in both cities. LIE. His parents aren't lawyers to my knowledge. They most definitely don't own any firms in either city. From all newspaper accounts, his family has nothing to do with him. All they are responsible for is having created this monster who killed our child.
His father dying of cancer and having complications with his estate because of a risky extra marital affair that produced another heir to the amazing fortune? LIE His father isn't dead....and i don't know about any love child nor does it matter.
Daniel was being hired for Sept 1st at the law firm in Victoria? LIE. Daniel was fooled. No new job. No law firm. And by the way...he NEVER went to school to be a lawyer...and was never going to school in September.
Wednesday August 3rd 2011. Daniel's pending meeting his new boss and first day of orientation?
LIE
Daniel died waiting for those two things to happen.
Do any of you see a pattern here?
This guy did all these things.
He told him he looked like a rock star.
He gave him a job.
He showered him with expensive dinners.
He was generous and giving even to all of Daniel's friends.
He listened to Daniel's thoughts.
He valued him as an employee and a friend.
He told Daniel about his broken heart. His broken engagement.
He told Daniel his father died.
He threatened suicide (only when Daniel was hanging out with other friends and not him)
He offered him a high paying job.
He pulled all the heartstrings.
Friendship,
Money,
Job,
Family,
Broken love,
Suicide,
New Career,
More money,
Fame.
There are so many more lies that I haven't mentioned. Too many to count. And some of you may wonder why we chose to share this now. This is why.
We are angry and disappointed, hurt and broken hearted. More than ever.
We, and all who knew Daniel loved him unlike most. He was everything you read on Facebook, on here, everywhere.
He loved with his whole entire heart. He believed in the good of all people. He wanted to help everyone he could. He listened to every bleeding heart. He had joy everlasting. He was a good soul with an amazing way with people. He was one in a million.
And he was set up.
Daniel was not stabbed. He was found face down on a couch in the apartment of his boss, not breathing. He was hit on the back of the head, not once, twice. His heart was still beating until later that night, when it could take no more and he died in the hospital.
I started talking to Daniel at about 1 pm the day he died. He was telling me how excited he was to have his day of orientation at the "Firm" . His plan was to meet his new boss, discuss his new job, and later meet his friend Jackson downtown, as they were about to sign a lease on a new apartment. I had a very normal and loving conversation with him until 2:32 pm exactly. By 5pm, that piece of shit was calling 911 claiming Daniel attacked him. We do not believe this one bit. Never in Daniel's whole life was ever EVEN ONCE aggressive or violent. Never. He not once in his whole life had a fight with anyone. He did NOT have a mean bone in his body. I saw my son, laying in his casket. I looked at the wounds on his head, and the ones on his arms from trying to cover himself as he was beaten. This person responsible for these injuries is responsible for his death. Period.
We, as Daniel's parents, will NEVER believe anything else ever. Not ever ever ever.
We know that Daniel was not leaving that apartment alive that day no matter what. He lured him there under the assumption that the mother was coming by, and Daniel was going to be taken to the firm. Daniel would NEVER have compromised meeting his new boss by doing anything that would make him appear to be irresponsible or irrational. He even took his earring out before he left. Brittany found it at his house. When i saw the description of what he was wearing that afternoon, dressy shirt, new jeans, new shoes...he BELIEVED that he was going to make a good first impression. The scenario that this pathological liar, psycopath wants the world to believe is the same as all the lies he was telling from the beginning. It is our belief that he set the whole scene, after he beat our child. He had time. And we will never accept that he called 911 in a timely manner, he waited until Daniel was not breathing...he probably thought he was dead...then he called.
All we ask of everyone is this. Please let the truth be told. Do not believe the lies. Those who know Daniel, know the truth. Daniel, our baby, our oldest son, was murdered on August 3 2011 by someone he called a friend. End of story.
Do we rest comfortably feeling that there will be justice? No. We acknowledge with disappointment that it has been an uphill battle from the start, now more than ever. Do we believe that he will pay for what he did to Daniel? Yes we do, for there is a far higher power in control of this. This coward of a man, will burn in hell for all eternity for what he's done. For Daniel's death, for placing doubt in the hearts of people who don't understand. I pray every day that his soul is tortured beyond comprehension as we grieve every day for the life he took.
Please remember us in your hearts, have compassion and love for us all as we come to terms with all the complications that we KNOW aren't Daniel's doing. Please send us hope and wish us the best...this journey is getting harder instead of easier. I wish more than anyone that we could keep on keeping on....But dare I say, i am further behind than I am ahead.
We are proud of our beautiful son. Our love is never ending. And we look forward to seeing his smiling face once again.
Justice For Daniel
Always
Stace
