Pocatello Residents Distraught Over Teen's Murder

Pocatello Residents Distraught Over Teen's Murder


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Amanda Butterfield Reporting Pocatello, Idaho, has been turned upside down with a murder like it's never seen. Rumors are flying that two teens videotaped themselves killing their classmate.

Family members found the teenager murdered. Her death, the manner in which police say she was killed --and who they say did it-- have many in the town distraught.

Cassie Jo Stoddart is on everyone's mind in Pocatello. Friends painted a mural in her honor in front of Pocatello High School when they found out she'd been murdered.

Pocatello Residents Distraught Over Teen's Murder

Police say she was murdered by two classmates. Cassie was a junior at Pocatello High, raised by grandparents who say she was a driven teenager.

Josefina Cisneros/ Victim's Grandmother: "She had a lot of things on her mind for the future. She wanted to go to college. She wanted a career."

But on September 25th, she was housesitting for relatives, watching movies with her boyfriend. Later she was found murdered.

Pocatello Residents Distraught Over Teen's Murder

Sheriff Lorin Nielsen/ Bannock County, Idaho: "We found Cassie Jo Stoddart, a 16 year old girl, stabbed to death-- multiple stab wounds."

The suspects are two of her classmates. Brian Draper and Torey Adamcheck came over to the house later to watch movies with them. The two are now in Bannock County jail charged with first degree murder. They're being tried as adults.

Counselors have been at Pocatello High School since the news of Cassie's death.

Victim's Friend: "She was pretty much one of the sweetest girls here. If you didn't know her and you talked to her, she'd talk to you like she'd known you her whole life."

Another issue teens have had a hard time sorting out-- all the rumors that surround the way their classmate was killed.

Elise Erlandson/ Victim's Friend: "It's so disrespectful, because people are like, 'Yeah, some chic got chopped up.' I am so irrate at hearing things like that. Everybody is."

When investigators announced a key piece of evidence is video of the two boys, imaginations ran wild.

Investigators won't say what's on the tape because they want to protect their case. They say that they do NOT have a tape of the actual murder. All the sheriff will confirm is that Cassie was stabbed to death, and the two suspects deserve a fair trial.

Cassie Jo Stoddart was laid to rest a little over a week ago. The two suspects are expected to make their next court appearance on Thursday.

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