A Hamilton teacher has been charged in the deaths of his mother and step-father.
Richard Taylor, 42, was arrested in Hamilton yesterday and faces two counts of first-degree murder.
Carla and Alan Rutherford died after a fire quickly broke out inside of the bedroom of their home in Dundas, ON. on July 9, 2018 at around 3:30 a.m.
Carla died in bed despite her husband, Alan, doing his best to try and save her and their dogs. He was rushed to hospital with burns covering most of his body, in critical condition but later died from his injuries.
"We are not seeking any other individual in relation to this crime. We believe Richard Taylor acted alone and the murder of his mother and step-father was financially motivated," Staff Sgt. Steve Bereziuk says.
By all accounts the family looked to be happy. "They got along. There was no indication of any strife early on. That's all I can say about that at this time," Bereziuk adds.
Carla had two sons; Richard is the oldest. "It's difficult. They're in a very difficult spot. Naturally, the incident itself is horrific in nature. So, they're grieving the loss of their parents but at the same time now they have to grasp the idea that one of their own family members was responsible for this crime," Bereziuk says.
Taylor is listed on the Hess Street School staff website. "There's been no level of concern brought to us. We've had no concerns. Anybody in the community was not at-risk. This was targetted," Bereziuk says.
Taylor made his first appearance this afternoon in court and has been denied bail. His next appearance is February 7th.