Perfectly Executed

(CBS)  This story originally aired on Aug. 6, 2005. It was updated Sep. 14, 2007.


What happened to the Rafay family one summer night in 1994 brought tragedy and mystery to a quiet neighborhood in Bellevue, Wash.

On July 13, just after 2 a.m., police were called to a crime that would take them 10 years to bring to justice. "It was a plan. A well-rehearsed, well-thought-out plan," say James Jude Konat, a senior deputy prosecutor in King County. He and a team of detectives have been haunted by this crime -- and the killers who got away.

The search for the truth would lead police to another country, through a web of intriguing clues. Could a screenplay that described a murder unlock the mystery? And in the end, would a sophisticated undercover operation, set up in the make-believe world of crime, catch the real killers?

Peter Van Sant reports on this mystery.

The story begins on July 13, 1994, with a call for help. Sebastian Burns and his friend, Atif Rafay, had stumbled onto a horrific scene. Atif's parents had been found murdered.

"There is nothing that I can imagine about my parents that could have justified anyone to do what was done to them," says Atif.

Sultana Rafay, Atif's mother, was the first to be killed. "I saw Atif's mom lying on the floor," recalls Sebastian. Atif's father, Tariq Rafay was the next to be murdered. "It was basically an overkill," says Det. Bob Thompson, who has been on the case since the night it began. "And it just looked like someone had hit him 40 or 50 times."

As the boys waited for help to arrive, a third victim, Atif's autistic older sister, Basma, was clinging to life, moaning in her bedroom. "It would make sense that she was murdered last because everybody knows she can't make a 911 call," says Konat.

Basma died at the hospital a few hours after the attack, taking with her the secret of who killed the Rafay family.

The Rafays had just moved to Bellevue from Vancouver, Canada. Sultana, who had a doctorate in nutrition, devoted her life to raising her gifted son and disabled daughter. Tariq Rafay was a structural engineer who had worked on buildings around the world.

Who would take the lives of this quiet family, and spare the life of their only son? Detectives began to look more closely at the crime scene.

In his 911 call, Sebastian said there was a "break in" when he reported what had happened that night. "Just looking at that room, you start realizing this looks like someone set it up," says Thompson. "Boxes were tipped over. Drawers were opened, but nothing appeared to have been gone through."

That night, when police asked what was missing, Atif said two things: his Discman and a VCR. "Someone murdered three people and took his Walkman and a VCR? I mean, it makes no sense," says Det. Thompson.

Detectives probed deeper into the case. Who were these two teenage boys who reported the crime?

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[lance_smith2001]

Their confession during the sting is powerful proof; why would anyone confess and boast about such a crime, especially if it involved a family member ? The brutality of the crime indicates an emotional element and/or a sociopathic one. These two appear to be a 'wicked attraction' with a dominant egocentric Burns leading the team. Being an armchair criminal shrink, I would say Burns was a spoiled self-centered child who became a nightmare adult version of himself. I would guess Atfif felt pressured to succeed and resentful and leaped at the chance to unleash his rage at this parents.

[aussie_jas]

Have to agree that eyecolor is too involved with this case. You clearly have no law background. I would have to say that you are either related to (in your words ) R & S or in love with one of them.
Atif's parents gave him life, he took theirs in return. There will be a day when he will show them respect and confess to the crimes he did as a teen.

[Reasonandlogic]

This is a perfect example of how the details given in a story can influence your opinion on guilt or innocence. I first learned of this case and formed an opinion based on how Tiffany Burns described the false confessions in her "documentary". Thought it was clearly a travesty of justice for her brother to be in prison. Good thing the jury was given the whole story or these 2 sociopaths would be walking free after this horrific crime. The sister of Sebastian Burns is now reaping the financial benefit of promoting her documentary, just as her brother reaped the financial benefit of the murders. Too sad for the victims, and sad for society that people are allowed to cash in on violent crime.

[truecrime10]

I find it interesting that Atif stated at one point in the interview "The single most distressing thing about this entire experience is the fact that I would even have to speak out and say 'yeah....no, I didnt do that.'"

Innocent slip of the tongue? I think not.

[jaydayb]

Sorry, I correct my last comment, [[Both men laughed as Burns recounted that Rafay's sister "was standing up and walking around" as he was attacking her."]].....anyway both of them are pigs, needed to be slaughtered , but extradition agreement with Canada prevents this to be done

[jaydayb]

I saw a website supporting them, but body language clearly is against both of them in courts ,specially Burns. Also you hear in his confession that her sister was not dying easily and kept walking , so she needed some more blows with the bat...shame on this animal

[ccmm22]

they do not deserve to live

[ccmm22]

they are both guilty and should face the death penalty

[degenova1]

I wish I could have been involved with this message board Sept 2007 to say: it is obvious eyecolor2009 is a family member of Sebastian Burns. This person doth protest too much! This person is trying to convince themselves of his innocence. These 2 are guilty. It is obvious. Sebastian is evil. He glared at the jury. He has no feelings, is vacant. The link to their appeal is on eyecolor's post. They'll never get out of prison, thank goodness!

[candelitebc]

These two are much Leopold and Loeb. If I were T. Burns, I'd probably put the blinders on with regard to my brother, too. I don't understand, though, why Hurricane Carter went to bat for these guys, too. I feel justice has been served in this case, since they are not sentenced to death.