Cheshire murders
| Cheshire, Connecticut home invasion murders | |
|---|---|
The location of Cheshire within New Haven County, Connecticut
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| Location | Cheshire, Connecticut |
| Date | July 23, 2007 |
| Target | Petit family |
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Attack type
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Home invasion, kidnapping, sexual assault, arson, murder |
| Weapons | |
| Deaths | 3 |
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Non-fatal injuries
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1 |
| Perpetrators | Steven Hayes Joshua Komisarjevsky |
| Steven J. Hayes | |
|---|---|
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| Born |
May 30, 1963 Homestead, Florida, U.S. |
| Criminal penalty | Six consecutive death sentences plus 106 years (Resentenced to Life) |
| Criminal status | Convicted on 16 counts; sentenced to death on six counts of capital felony (Resentenced to Life) |
| Children | One son and one daughter |
| Conviction(s) | Capital felony, murder, sexual assault |
| Joshua A. Komisarjevsky | |
|---|---|
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| Born | August 10, 1980 |
| Criminal penalty | Six consecutive life sentences plus 140 years |
| Criminal status | Convicted of 17 out of 17 charges, including six capital felonies |
| Children | One daughter |
| Conviction(s) | Capital felony, sexual assault, murder, kidnapping, and arson |
 Photograph of Steven Hayes and Joshua Komisarjevsky
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Photograph of Petit family
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Photo of burned bedroom
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The Cheshire, Connecticut home invasion murders occurred on July 23, 2007. Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her two daughters were raped and murdered, while her husband, Dr. William Petit, was injured during a home invasion in Cheshire, Connecticut.The Hartford Courant referred to the case as "possibly the most widely publicized crime in the state's history". In 2010, Steven Hayes was convicted of the murders and sentenced to death. His accomplice, Joshua Komisarjevsky, was found guilty on October 13, 2011, and sentenced to death on January 27, 2012. In August 2015, the state of Connecticut abolished the death penalty. Therefore, on that date, all death sentences were changed to life-in-prison, even if that sentencing took place prior to the date that the death penalty was abolished.
Late in the afternoon of Sunday, July 22, 2007, 48-year-old Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her 11-year-old daughter Michaela Petit went to a local grocery store in Cheshire, Connecticut. They picked up food for Jennifer's pre-birthday meal that Michaela planned to prepare for her. During their trip to the grocery store, they attracted the attention of Joshua Komisarjevsky, who followed them home.
Steven Hayes messaged Komisarjevsky: "I'm chomping at the bit to get started. Need a margarita soon." Hayes then texted, "We still on?" Komisarjevsky replied, "Yes." Hayes' next text asked, "Soon?", to which Komisarjevsky replied: "I'm putting the kid to bed hold your horses". Hayes then wrote: "Dude, the horses want to get loose. LOL."
According to Hayes' confession, the two men had planned to rob the Petit house under cover of darkness leaving the family bound, but unharmed. Hayes attributed the outcome to a change of plan. Upon their arrival in the early hours of July 23, they found William Petit sleeping on a couch on the porch. Komisarjevsky struck William on the head with a baseball bat found in the yard and then tied him up at gunpoint in the basement. The children and their mother were then bound and locked in their respective rooms. Hayes said that he and Komisarjevsky were not satisfied with their haul, and that a bankbook was found which showed an available balance.
A gas station's video surveillance shows Hayes purchasing $10 worth of gasoline in two cans he had taken from the Petit home. After returning to the house, and unloading the gas, he took Jennifer to the bank. The prosecution later claimed that this was evidence of premeditated murder. Hayes convinced Jennifer to withdraw $15,000 from her line of credit when the bank opened. Bank surveillance cameras captured the transaction which shows Jennifer Hawke-Petit, on the morning of July 23, as she informed the teller of her situation. The bank manager then called 911 and reported the details to police while Jennifer was still with the teller. The manager reported to the 911 dispatcher, in real time, as Jennifer left the bank and was picked up by Hayes, describing his clothing as he drove away with her. The manager stated that Jennifer had indicated the assailants were "being nice", and she believed they only wanted money.
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Wikipedia