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Execution Style

Teenage Murderers

By Brenda Lee Lord-HingerPublished 5 years ago 4 min read
Four people executed at close range

Two boys, one fifteen, the other fourteen, viciously execute four innocent people, and leave a baby in its crib unharmed.

The killing took place in a house in the countryside of Bridge Lake, BC, Canada. On June 22 1996.

What was the reason for this tragedy to take place?

Let’s dig into the boys personal life and see what we can find.

James Ruscitti -had been adopted by Rocco and his wife Marilynn Ruscitti. The boy was known for having behavioural issues at home and at school.

He is said to have experienced attachment difficulties with his adopted parents, and his file information provides collateral accounts of tormenting other children, and cruelty to animals.

James accomplice Chad Bucknell, came from a single parent home. Chad and his two brothers were raised by their mother, who was very well known for her house-parties and many male partners.

The Bucknell boy’s never had a proper father figure. The dad wasn’t a part of their lives. Just like he wasn’t a part of his other children’s lives.

Although neither teenager had the best of childhoods — obviously not a reason to kill!

We are talking of an outright- execution- style-murder of four innocent individuals. The parents of James Ruscitti, and that of their house-boarder by the name of Dennis O’Hara, and Ruscitti’s brother’s seventeen-year-old-girlfriend Christine Clarke.

These teenagers walked into the house and shot their targets at close range. Then Ruscitti warms up a bottle for the two-month-old baby who was in the crib. Feeds her and places her back into the crib. Then they take their leave.

Ruscitti pled guilty to four counts of first degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison. He began his sentence at a young offenders facility, and at eighteen was transferred to an adult prison. Their he completed his grade twelve education with honours.

In 2010 James underwent a psychological assessment. Finding that his risk for violence was moderate to high. But also noting that he is intelligent and doesn’t have any symptoms of any major mental illnesses.

In 2019 at thirty years of age, Ruscitti’s parole board denied his request. The parole board stated —“You appear able to experience primary emotions such as anger, but it is questionable if you are able to experience secondary emotions such as remorse or empathy”.

Ruscitti told the board members at a hearing earlier in the month that at ‘Williams Head Prison’, he had been working hard in trying to change people’s opinions of him. So that people wouldn’t see him as a psychopath. Also that he was taking part in numerous programs.

However, James Ruscitti’s actions in the execution of his parents and that of the two other individuals were proven pre-meditated.

The board said that the information from his file showed that Ruscitti tried to recruit others to help him commit the murders on at least two occasions prior to the carrying the murders out on June 22, 1996.

In the end it was Chad Bucknell that was with him that night. James shot all four victims, and Chad shot Dennis O’Hara one more time.

Ruscitti, who had canceled all previous parole board hearings, told board members on July 8 2019, that he planned to kill his parents, as well as O’Hara and Christine Clarke, two days prior to the slayings.

He also added that upon realizing that there was a baby in the home, who was his two-month-old-niece, that he heated a bottle for her prior to leaving the home.

Yes, after James and Chad finalize the execution as planned, with dead bodies soaking in blood laying throughout the house, James feeds the baby and then they leave the horrific crime scene!

The baby was found two days later, with her dead mom on the bedroom floor beside her crib. The precious baby girl so dehydrated that the doctors felt that if she hadn’t been found when she was, she to would have died within a couple more hours.

Six years after the murders in 2002, Chad Bucknell now twenty years of age is released on day parole. His freedom was revoked time and again for parole violations, which included drug and alcohol abuse, and lying to his supervisors. However, Chad was granted full parole on March 3 2015.

Bucknell will have to report to his parole officer for the rest of his life, and abide by standard conditions. He must follow psychological counseling that will assist with emotional and reintegration issues.

The Vancouver Sun — posted on October 24 2018 saying that James Ruscitti had been on day parole since September of 2015, with no major problems.

He has been in a relationship for more than two years, and is self employed full time as an electrician and is on a waiting list to improve his education.

Although Ruscitti’s latest psychological risk assessment stated that he is a moderate risk for general and violent re-offending, the ‘Correctional Service of Canada’ recommended James Ruscitti for full parole!

Ruscitti’s plans are to live with his girlfriend and her daughter on Vancouver Island.

This true story goes to show that we have no idea who we are rubbing shoulders with-sort of speak, on the street!

By Brenda Lee Lord-Hinger

BLBLOGWRITINGNEWS1 ( KMZ2OL)

[email protected]

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