Petit Family Murders in CT-2007 SOLVED-Death Sentence for both men.

[nonesuche]

Beyond the horror of the torture that was involved in these murders, I find with the more I hear and learn about this crime, the more unsettling it is.

Mrs Red, it's being compared to In Cold Blood as well. The two perps saw Mrs Petit and Michaela at the local grocery store the night before, apparently followed them home and then planned to return at 3am that morning, break in and commit at least robbery? Mrs Petit was driven to their bank early the next morning and told to withdraw $15,000.00, whereupon she was able to alert the teller who then called 911.

By the time the police arrived, the perps were fleeing in the family SUV but also one officer heard one of the girls screaming as he arrived. Both daughters died of smoke inhalation and the mother of strangulation.

What is also emerging now via a criminal psychologist I heard on MSNBC, is that this was likely a targeted jealousy hate crime? Solely due to the family being wealthy, much like the demise of the family killed and detailed in Capote's book - for a safe which was rumored to exist but in reality didn't? One of the perps is also the grandson of a famous Russian choreographer as well as wealthy family?

The mother and youngest daughter were raped, yet the 17 year old was not?

It's all so bizarre beyond the fact this crime seems so random yet so threatening due to that?

I just think there are several points here, such as the jealousy hate element I feel was present in the Natalaee Holloway case plus the choice of the 11 year old over a 17 year old I do find disturbing too.

Such a horrible, horrible crime.......I cannot imagine how each of them suffered.  

Here is an article on the crime:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=3407703

Conn. Town Stunned by Deadly Robbery
Connecticut Town Stunned After 3 Family Members Die in Apparent Arson-Home Invasion
By SUSAN HAIGH Associated Press Writer
CHESHIRE, Conn. Jul 24, 2007 (AP)

 Share Two parolees with long criminal records were arraigned Tuesday on charges alleging they broke into a doctor's home, forced a hostage to withdraw cash from a bank and set fire to the house several hours later, killing the doctor's wife and two daughters.

The suspects were caught Monday in the family's SUV as they fled the burning home, which they apparently had torched to cover their tracks, authorities said.

Dr. William Petit Jr., 50, a prominent endocrinologist, was the only survivor and was severely injured in the attack.

Joshua Komisarjevky, 26, of Cheshire, and Steven Hayes, 44, of Winsted, were charged with assault, sexual assault, kidnapping, burglary, robbery and arson. Bail was set at $15 million each, and state police have said that additional charges are likely.

A court bail commissioner said Hayes and Komisarjevky each have rap sheets with more than 20 prior burglaries, and both were out of prison on parole.

The two men did not enter pleas, and answered only "yes" when asked if they understood their rights. Both were represented by public defenders.

Bank employees had contacted police around 9:30 a.m Monday after one of the suspects accompanied a female hostage, who was not identified, to make a withdrawal. Police went to the home, where they found the victims and arrested the two men.

Petit's wife, Jennifer Hawke-Petit, 48, and daughters Hayley, 17, and Michaela, 11, were dead in the home, a law enforcement official with knowledge of the investigation said.

The attack rocked Cheshire, an upper-middle class community of 29,000 full of colonial-style homes just east of Waterbury and about 15 miles north of New Haven.

"In Cheshire we're not used to this type of event," town Police Chief Michael Cruess said. "It's a very unfortunate, tragic event that's probably going to reach right down to the core of the community."

Hayley Petit had received an early acceptance to Dartmouth, her father's alma mater. She was a fundraiser for multiple sclerosis and captain of the basketball and crew teams. She was also devoted to her school, so much so that even while she was recovering from a collapsed lung, she attended commencement.

"She was such a good, good person," said M. Burch Tracy Ford, head of school at Miss Porter's School in Farmington. "The younger kids just worshipped the ground she walked on."

Dr. Petit, 50, the president of the Hartford County Medical Association, is a noted specialist in diabetes and endocrinology and the medical director of the Joslin Diabetes Center Affiliate at The Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain.

"It is a shocking day for everyone. It's just beyond anyone's understanding," said Larry Tanner, president and chief executive officer of the hospital.

Jennifer Hawke-Petit was a nurse and co-director of the health center at Cheshire Academy, a private boarding school.

"They're just a lovely family," said the Rev. Ronald A. Rising, a neighbor for more than a decade. "It's just awful to think it would happen to a family like that in this community. You don't think about those things happening."


Copyright 2007 The Associated Press.


Edit to add two men found guilty!  MB

[nonesuche]

Well part of the information I had was incorrect, if the NY Post's article is correct?

It seems Hayley and Michaela were both raped, it does not mention Mrs Petit?

this crime was beyond heinous and it appears these two perps met in their halfway house post their parole?

death is almost too good for them IMO

http://www.nypost.com/seven/07292007/news/regionalnews/vicious_fiends_stalked_victims_from_food_store_regionalnews_elizabeth_wolff_______in_cheshire__conn__and____ginger_adams_otis_in_n_y_.htm?page=0

[NYC_lover]

Hi nonesuche,

I have read about it, very sad.
Probabely knew the suspects, about how much money has the family.

[pdh3]

This is a terrifying story. It is similar to In Cold Blood, in so many ways. It also reminds me of that family down in Richmond, VA, murdered on New Years Day in their home. There were 2 young children in that home who were butchered along with their parents.

It's all so senseless.

[nonesuche]

pdh3-

I am wondering if the younger one of these perps was trying to copycat the Richmond murders too. Heinous seems too kind a word for what they did to these three women, it's only of the most violent torture crimes I believe I've ever heard of like the Richmond murders.

NYC_lover-

Mrs Petit's father is a minister, I don't think they were wealthy but I have also heard Dr Petit and his wife were very philanthropic. They gave back much to the community, their home was worth around $500,000.00 which isn't that large based upon northeast housing prices......and their eldest daughter Hayley also helped to fundraise over $50,000.00 toward MS research. Mrs Petit had MS and her entire family rallied around that cause as well.

[mrs. red]

None. thank you for bringing all of the information in here.  What a senseless tragedy ... and because they were jealous?  SICK - I can't even fathom that!! 

Please keep us posted on things that are discovered... I will be on the look out as well.

[nonesuche]

Mrs the police and DA are blocking the release of any details? One has to wonder why on earth ?

I have found this piece from Dr. Petit's colleagues http://www.bristolpress.com/site/printerFriendly.cfm?brd=1643&dept_id=571108&newsid=18662941

I also found this on a blog and would have to agree something isn't right here. Why did it take the police so long from the time Mrs Petit left the note with the teller, for the police to arrive at the Petit home? This wasn't a large city and everyone seemed to know everyone, so knowing the reputation of the Petit's in their community one would think her note would have been enough to send the police packing over to that home asap??? I hope there are some details released soon, surely seems to be reason for questioning of why the police took so long?

http://whdad.wordpress.com/2007/08/01/timeline-fuzzy-on-cheshire-killings/

[nonesuche]

I also keep waiting for Joe Tacopina to ride up as the perp's attorney in this case 

[mrs. red]

Disgusting... it seems like that was handled as if it weren't a life and death matter... West Hartford isn't exactly a poor community... seems like they would have moved quickly on a report like that.

[nonesuche]

I'd also like to know why the DA won't allow details to be released? I can understand wanting to protect the case against the perps but good lord, they caught them leaving the home and they drove through three police cars in barricade to try to escape? They also know that they came through the basement and broke the bulkhead to get into the home? That area wasn't touched by fire, the SUV with their prints all over it and video at the gas station of them loading up the gas tanks is on file?

CT has the death penalty but has rarely used it, I think that is now what's becoming the driver here. Finally they have a crime that powerful people in CT just might scream about if the death penalty isn't secured in trial. I read about a case in CT where a female bank president was kidnapped in her bank parking lot, raped and shot. Then she tried to crawl away, perp realized she was still alive, then came back and shot her three times at short range, execution style. He did not get the death penalty?

Sounds like Joe T's kinda state.

[San]

It would not surprise me one bit if Joe Tacopina represented one of these animals.

They should pour gas on these two guys and light them up for everyone to see.  This is unthinkable what they did.  I can't even get myself to read this story in the newspaper because it makes me so angry what they did to this family.

[pdh3]

I also keep waiting for Joe Tacopina to ride up as the perp's attorney in this case 

I think they'll end up with court-appointed lawyers. They are very unpopular people right now, to say the least, and no PR savvy lawyer will touch these two scumbags. It's a no win situation for any defense attorney, and I feel for the ones who get stuck with this case. Everyone will transfer some of the anger to them.

[MsVada]

Mrs the police and DA are blocking the release of any details? One has to wonder why on earth ?
snip>
I http://whdad.wordpress.com/2007/08/01/timeline-fuzzy-on-cheshire-killings/

Nones,
 I read the posts on the link,  I think the same thing,  WHY ON EARTH would it take the PD so long to go into that house? (they sat there 20 minutes before the perps got out of the house?)  WTF!!!  :2brickwall:If the Cheshire PD is in a small community, wonder how many police cars it really has and if they were all out on calls or all on their coffee break at the local
Donut Shop.  I'm not buying they were waiting for the swat team or state police to come for backup. 

[FoolsGold]

I would agree that police "establishing a perimeter" was a time-consuming timidity in a situation where clearly time was not available.

Contrary to early reports and the extortionate bank-withdrawal, it appears that this was a sex crime right from the start. Their purchase of gasoline indicates their intent to do away with their victims in an intensely painful manner.

[MuffyBee]

Suspects in horrific Conn. family murders met in rehab, had very different backgrounds

http://www.courttv.com/news/2007/0806/komisarjevsky_ap.html

Venice family's tragedy on national stage
http://tinyurl.com/2noyqa

[San]

Thanks Muffy for the update.

It is just unthinkable what they did to this family.

[MuffyBee]

YW San.  I find it disturbing that I can read about a horrific murder and it's news.  Then just a couple weeks later, no news.  Nothing.  Nada.  I do searches and can't find anything.  I have tried to go back and research some of the missing and unsolved and draw a blank.  I wonder what happened to some of these cases?  What happened to the suspects?  Do they all disappear into some file somewhere?  What about some that are like the little 2 year old that went missing.  Nothing.  Or the little girl that was never enrolled in school, and  no one had seen here in a year?  The parents lawyer up, don't speak.  Where are they?   I feel fortunate to have found this article about the Pettit family.

[nonesuche]

I found this article from the Washington Post in a search this morning, it is horrible to know those girls might have been saved had the police been quicker about this. I agree with FoolsGold that all the earmarks were clearly there, and time wasted that might have made a difference. I am all for our LE protecting themselves but the gas was a huge tip-off, also Mrs Petit was as respectable a citizen as they could possibly find. An SOS from her should have had an immediate and quick response, such a tragedy that it did not.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/10/AR2007081002116.html?hpid=topnews

[MuffyBee]

Judge deciding on Cheshire home invasion warrants

Posted Sept. 17, 2007
6:06 PM
http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=7087895&nav=3YeX
Cheshire (WTNH) _ Details about the deadly home invasion in Cheshire may soon be made public.
 
A judge is deciding whether to unseal 11 search warrants in connection with the state's case against Steven Hayes and Joshua Komisarjevsky.  They are charged in the murders of a mother and her two daughters.
 
The search warrants contain alleged statements made by one or both defendants and the defense claims releasing the documents would damage the possibility of a fair trial.

David Atkins, a lawyer for the Hartford Courant is arguing for the documents to be released.

"Obviously the concern is pre trial prejudicial information that comes out that would affect the jury pool," said Steven Hayes's Public Defender, Thomas Ullmann.

Atkins said "there can't been an assumption because there are a statements in court filings including motions including affidavits that might not be the liking of the defense that it automatically prejudicial."

A decision on whether to release the warrants is expected next month.
      

[MuffyBee]

Oct 23, 4:47 PM EDT

Details Released on Deadly Home Invasion

By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN
Associated Press Writer
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/H/HOME_INVASION?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US
 NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) -- The attackers in a deadly home invasion poured gasoline on and around a woman and her two daughters, then set their house on fire, according to court documents released by a judge Tuesday.

The 11 heavily redacted search warrants provide the first official details on the July 23 deaths of Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her daughters, Hayley, 17, and Michaela, 11. Hawke-Petit's husband, Dr. William Petit, was badly beaten but escaped.

Investigators found traces of rope-like material around the ankles of all three victims and tied to the two girls' wrists and bed posts, according to the warrants. They also found three partially melted one-gallon gas containers.

"One of the deceased was burned beyond recognition, with indications that an accelerant was liberally poured on her," investigators wrote in one search warrant. "The remaining two victims appeared to have some indication of accelerant being poured onto or in close proximity to them, but not to the same degree as the other victim."

Hawke-Petit also was strangled, while the two girls died of smoke inhalation at their home in Cheshire, according to the medical examiner.

The two men accused in the deaths, paroled burglars Joshua Komisarjevsky, 27, and Steven Hayes, 44, both face capital felony and multiple murder, kidnapping, sexual assault and arson charges. They are scheduled for another hearing on Nov. 6. Bail for each man is set at $15 million.

Superior Court Judge Richard Damiani had agreed last week, after arguments by an attorney for The Hartford Courant, to release portions of the warrants. Defense attorneys said coverage of their contents would make it difficult to find impartial jurors for their clients' trials but they did not appeal.

"I don't think there is anything new that hasn't been previously disclosed," said Thomas Ullmann, the public defender representing Hayes. He declined to comment further.

Telephone messages were left for Komisarjevsky's attorneys. New Haven State's Attorney Michael Dearington declined comment. Prosecutors have said they will pursue the death penalty.

The released documents do not include alleged confessions by the defendants.

Police say Komisarjevsky and Hayes entered the home about 3 a.m., planning to burglarize it. When they found that the family was home, they beat Petit and tied up his wife and daughters.

Police were alerted by suspicious employees at a local bank when one of the suspects forced Hawke-Petit to make a withdrawal around 9:30 a.m.

Police said Komisarjevsky and Hayes were caught in the family's car as they fled the burning house.

According to the warrants, police searched a car registered to Komisarjevsky's mother and found a package for a BB gun, duct tape, a Lowe's Home Improvement store receipt, flexible ties and different types of gloves. In another car, they found Petit's wallet, his wife's wallet, two pearl necklaces and a red, blood-like stain.