12th Murderer: Dante Arthurs – Victim: Sofia Rodriguez-Urrutia Shu
At 4pm on the 26th June 2006, 8 years old, Sofia Rodriguez-Urrutia Shu, walked away from her family to go to the nearby female bathroom in Livingston Marketplace, suburban shopping centre in Canningvale, Perth.
Sofia Rodriguez-Urrutia Shu - 8 years old
As Sofia was leaving the female bathroom, her murderer, Dante Arthurs, aged 22, grabbed her from behind and dragged her into the disabled cubicle. Minutes later, her 14-year-old brother, wondering why Sofia had not returned, went to look for her. As the minutes passed Sofia's family became more frantic.
Dante Arthurs - 22 years old when he attempted to
rape and then brutally chocked to death Sofia Rodriguez-Urrutia Shu
When her brother went back to the bathroom area for the second time, the previously locked disabled toilet was now unlocked. Inside, he found Sofia’s naked little body. It was a grisly scene. In dragging Sofia into the bathroom, her murderer, Dante Arthurs, had broken both her legs and dislocated her left arm. Her clothing had been removed, and her throat was so compressed from him strangling her cries, that her larynx was crushed. Horrifically she also had a severe perineal tear. The assault was said to have only lasted for 3 - 5 minutes, but Sofia passed away from the direct result of strangulation. She was left dead on the floor as Arthurs made his escape.
On 7 November 2007 Arthurs was sentenced to life in prison with a non-parole period of 13 years. He was also sentenced to two years for depriving Sofia Rodriguez-Urrutia Shu of her liberty. Describing Arthurs' crimes as "so evil they shock the public conscience". Justice John McKechnie also advised Arthurs of the possibility that he may never be released as the release of offenders sentenced to life imprisonment must be signed off by the Western Australian Attorney-General.
Dante Arthurs’ 13-year non-parole sentence ends on June 26 2020. That jail term sparked community outrage and was the catalyst for the introduction of tougher homicide laws. Paul Litherland, a former police officer whose son was in the year below Sofia at Yangebup’s Mater Christi Catholic Primary School, started a Change.org petition in July 2018. Within 48 hours, the petition had attracted more than 25,000 signatures.
· Child killer Dante Arthurs stalked up to 12 girls - Perth NOW - Nov 9, 2007
· Unlocking the Evil in Dante Arthurs - StayAtHomeMum.com.au
Arthurs is now 36. He has been in jail for almost 13 years. If he is not released until serving 25 years due to his history of child molestation, he will have cost the Public Purse based on the average annual cost of Maximum Security Incarceration in 2020, $4.375 million circa ($175,000 p.a. X 25 years).
Paul Litherland published in Change.org "Do Not Release Dante Arthurs" It received 126,239 signed affirmations not to release from prison Dante Arthurs.
Questions re 12th Murderer: Dante Arthurs
Should the WA state government amend its criminal codes so that where the level of proof is Beyond Any Doubt of Guilt that the death penalty may be sentenced in the event of another attempted rape and ultimate murder, where the level of proof is
Beyond any doubt of guilt because Justice for the Innocent Victim should be a consideration amongst the Purposes of Sentencing?
Should other states and territories similarly amend their criminal codes?
Write responses to above two questions re 12th Murderer on 'Peer Reviewer's Responses to Sentences Form' Word document