A new day has dawned in Woodstock, following the conviction of Michael Rafferty in the abduction and murder of 8-year-old Tori Stafford. Mayor Pat Sobeski and Woodstock Police Chief Rod Freeman expressed a sense of relief they feel, like many Woodstonians, following last night's guilty verdict on all 3-counts. Freeman says it's been a long 3-years for the city, that he says rallied around the investigation. "I want to thank every single citizen of Woodstock, because they rallied behind the families, who were truly victims, in this brutal murder. They keep Victoria very dear in their hearts. I want to thank every police officer from far and wide that was involved in this investigation because each and every one...they were entirely devoted to Victoria." Freeman says 1000 police officers had a hand in this investigation on some level, along with 400 support staff. Woodstock Mayor Pat Sobeski thanked police for their countless hours of working on the case, and also thanked the jury for their work that will help to "restore confidence and faith in the justice system." Sobeski also called for a concerted effort to make Woodstock a safer place. "We share a collective accountability to work harder to make our community safer. We cannot ignore the challenges...but we can seize the opportunities as the city moves forward, and we can do so because of the inspiration of the innocence of Tori Stafford. The community will lovingly remember her."

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