Terri-Lynne McClintic was born in 1990 in Canada. Her early life was marked by instability and hardship. Born to a mother who was a stripper, McClintic was given to another stripper, Carol McClintic, to raise. This environment exposed her to substance abuse and a lack of parental guidance. Family members reported that Carol was an alcoholic and drug addict who involved Terri-Lynne in that lifestyle. Additionally, McClintic experienced physical and sexual abuse during her childhood.

Throughout her youth, McClintic attended multiple schools, leading to peer rejection and social isolation. She was introduced to drugs at an early age, often using them with her adoptive mother. These factors contributed to her developing mood and anxiety disorders, as well as antisocial behavior. By her teenage years, McClintic had accumulated a criminal record, including convictions for assault and drug-related offenses. ​

On April 8, 2009, McClintic and her boyfriend, Michael Rafferty, executed a plan to abduct a child. McClintic lured eight-year-old Victoria "Tori" Stafford into Rafferty's vehicle outside her school in Woodstock, Ontario, under the pretense of showing her a puppy. The pair then drove to a secluded area near Mount Forest, Ontario. There, Stafford was subjected to sexual assault and severe physical violence, resulting in her death from multiple blows to the head with a claw hammer. Her body was concealed under a pile of rocks in a wooded area. ​

The disappearance of Stafford prompted an extensive search and garnered significant media attention across Canada. Surveillance footage led investigators to McClintic, who was seen with Stafford on the day of the abduction. McClintic was arrested on May 19, 2009, and during interrogation, she implicated Rafferty in the crime. Both were subsequently charged with first-degree murder and other offenses. ​

In April 2010, McClintic pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for 25 years. Rafferty's trial commenced in March 2012, and he was found guilty on all charges, receiving a similar life sentence. In October 2018, McClintic was controversially transferred to the Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge, a minimum/medium-security facility.