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Simply put, the hockey world lost a fantastic man today, as Whitby Dunlops rookie defenseman Don Sanderson passed away—three weeks after hitting his head on the ice during a fight. Sanderson...
Jan 2, 2009 · Don Sanderson, a defenceman for the Whitby Dunlops, died in Hamilton General Hospital early Friday after ending up in a coma beginning Dec. 14, when he struck his head on the ice during a game...
Jan 4, 2009 · Don Sanderson, a defenceman for the Ontario Hockey Association's Whitby Dunlops, died Friday after he went into a coma following a tussle with Corey Fulton of the Brantford Blast during a Dec. 12...
- Overview
- Background
- 25 to Life
- Known Victims
Donald "Don" Sanderson is a man who was framed by James Stanworth. He appeared in the Season Six episode of Criminal Minds, "25 to Life".
- Don recounting his ambitions for his life, family, and freedom
Donald Sanderson was born on February 17, 1960. He was a second-year medical resident intending to specialize in pediatrics. He lived with his wife, Carrie, and their children, Abby and Joshua, in Washington D.C. On the night of March 9, 1985, when Donald had gone to sleep on the couch after an argument, a resentful former resident of the house, James Stanworth, broke into the house along with two local petty thieves, Mary Rutka and Thomas "Tommy" Wittman, knocked down and stabbed Donald non-fatally and killed Carrie and Abby, leaving Joshua alive on Mary's request. When the police started investigating, Donald told them what had happened. But when he at first forgot to mention that a woman was present, they became increasingly suspicious. The investigation came to the conclusion that Donald had killed his wife and daughter and injured himself to make himself look like a victim; it was argued that, being a medical student, he would have the knowledge and skills required to do so.
- Don after he tracked down Tommy Wittman, killing him in self-defense
Eventually, the prison staff contemplates giving him his chance of parole prematurely, but they are still suspicious and request the BAU to send an agent into interview him. Morgan is given the task, and after interrogating Don, who tells him that he regrets murdering Carrie and Abby, he believes that he deserves to be paroled and argues his case to the staff. The staff, in turn, accepts the response and paroles Donald. Two days later, Don tracks down Tom and holds him at gunpoint, presumably to demand information. However, Tommy fights back and Don is forced to fatally stab him with one of Tommy's kitchen knives in self-defense. Ironically, since James stabbed Carrie and Abby to death, local authorities immediately suspected Don of succumbing to his murderous urges. Morgan is especially outraged and initially doesn't listen to Don when he tries to state that his murder of Tommy was self-defense and that he didn't kill Carrie and Abby. But Morgan and Rossi eventually listen and take Don back to the old Sanderson residence, where he flashes back to the time James, Mary, and Tommy broke into the home, telling everything he recalls from that night to the two agents. When Mary is murdered by James (who, in turn, is eventually arrested by Morgan and the BAU), Don is finally freed and completely liberated of his wrongful record. Garcia manages to track down Joshua, who turned to medicine like his father and planned to open his own clinic. Don, nervous from all the time that's passed between them, has a joyous reunion with Joshua as Morgan watches.
•December 7, 2010: Tommy Wittman (was stabbed to death in self-defense)
Aug 19, 2023 · Don Sanderson is a real-life criminal profiler who contributed to the FBI’s understanding of criminal psychology. Don Sanderson’s legacy has had a lasting impact on the field of criminal psychology and FBI investigations.
Jan 19, 2009 · Sanderson died on Jan. 2, 20 days after banging his head on the ice during a hockey fight. The Whitby Dunlops, his senior-league club team, hosted a tribute to the 21-year-old before a game on...
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Jan 17, 2009 · WHITBY, Ont. - It's hockey night in Whitby, Ontario, but tonight's game has special meaning to community residents and to the Whitby Dunlops. Don Sanderson's number 40 will be raised to the...
