Rafay family murdered in Bellevue WA in summer of 1994
Investigation by Bellevue Polce: 1994-5
Evidence found implicating Atif Rafay and Sebastian Burns: ZERO
RCMP offers, at Bellevue, WA request, to run a sting operation on Atif and Sebastian.
After approximately six months, the two young men make conflicting ‘confessions’ and are arrested for the murders.
Attempt to extradite them for the murders fails because Canadian lawyers argue that Canadian citizens cannot be extradited to face the death penalty.
They are extradited with the guarantee that they won’t face the death penalty. 2001
Trial takes place in 2004-5. No hard evidence ever presented against them, just the conflicting RCMP confessions. No one has ever been able to puncture their alibis as to where they were during the murders, no one except Sebastian Burns, who had made up a fanciful account to please the RCMP, masquerading as gangsters.
They are found guilty and sentenced to three consecutive terms of 99 years. 297 years in prison inflicted by Judge Charles Mertel.
Appeals run from 2007-2023, the last being at the Federal Appeals Court where Atif is represented by Goldstein/Russell of Maryland. Appeal denied.
WAIP takes over the case. 2023
It is now 29 years after the murders of Atif’s father, mother and sister. The real killers, pointed out by an FBI informant, Douglas Muhammad, are still free.
2 thoughts on “Timeline for Rafay/Burns”
Hello Ken,
10 years between the arrest and the sentence. It seems the right of a speedy trial had been denied.
As Canadians, have they ever request to serve their sentences in Canada ? Maybe they can file for parole in Canada ? 30 years of prison si more than enough.
Sorry for this inexcusable delay, Jo. The ten year period came as a result of legal proceedings that tried to prevent their extradition from Canada to face the death penalty. Rafay/Burns is a landmark case establishing that a Canadian cannot be extradited to face the death penalty anywhere.
Hello Ken,
10 years between the arrest and the sentence. It seems the right of a speedy trial had been denied.
As Canadians, have they ever request to serve their sentences in Canada ? Maybe they can file for parole in Canada ? 30 years of prison si more than enough.
Sorry for this inexcusable delay, Jo. The ten year period came as a result of legal proceedings that tried to prevent their extradition from Canada to face the death penalty. Rafay/Burns is a landmark case establishing that a Canadian cannot be extradited to face the death penalty anywhere.