In July 2007, a house invasion was carried out on the Petit household residence in Cheshire, Connecticut. Throughout the invasion, Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her two daughters, Hayley (17) and Michaela (11) had been murdered. Dr William Petit, the daddy of the ladies, escaped with extreme accidents.
TW- this case discusses little one homicide and little one sexual assault.
By way of the world the place this occurred, the inhabitants of Cheshire is presently round 30k. The median family earnings in Cheshire is $120,546, in comparison with $78,444 statewide.
As some background into the victims,
Jennifer was born on September 26, 1958 in Morristown, NJ. Her dad and mom had been Reverend Richard and Marybelle Hawke.
Jennifer graduated Greenville Senior Excessive in Pennsylvania. She was well-liked amongst her friends, and was captain of her drill staff. She was additionally a member of the Nationwide Thespian Society, and a member of her Homecoming Court docket. Jennifer acquired a Diploma in Nursing and started her profession as a Pediatric Oncology Nurse on the Kids’s Hospital of Pittsburg. It was at the moment that she met her future husband, William/Invoice.
William was born on September 24, 1956. He was born in Southington, CT and he grew up in Plainville, CT. After graduating from Plainville Excessive College, he earned an undergraduate diploma from Dartmouth Faculty and a medical diploma from the College of Pittsburgh College of Medication, adopted by a fellowship in endocrinology on the Yale College College of Medication.
Jennifer and Invoice acquired married on April 13, 1985 in Meadville, Pennsylvania.
The couple had their two daughters, Hayley Elizabeth on October 15, 1989 and Michaela Rose on November 17, 1995.
In 1989, Invoice entered non-public follow in Plainville. In 1989, he additionally grew to become medical director of the Joslin Diabetes Middle at New Britain Basic Hospital, now a campus of The Hospital of Central Connecticut, and from 1994 to 2008 he served as Director of Public Well being for Plainville.
After the births of their youngsters, Jennifer started working as a college nurse for Cheshire Academy. It has been mentioned that she was loving and beneficiant. Jennfier loved studying and taking part in the piano and guitar.
Hayley had simply graduated from Miss Porter’s college and had plans to attend Dartmouth College.
Hayley was well-known, admired, and beloved for the love and integrity she delivered to all that she was, as a scholar, and athlete, a pacesetter, and a buddy. All through her highschool profession, Hayley was a Excessive Honor Roll scholar; she was a member of Cum Laude, a journalism prize-winner, and winner of the college’s award for “distinctive group service.” As well as, she was admitted early to Dartmouth Faculty. As a dedicated athlete, Hayley was a three-season varsity participant of cross nation, basketball, and crew; two-season varsity captain of basketball and crew; and was elected to the all-school senior management place of Athletic Affiliation Head. Throughout the college group, her management instance and affect, each non-public and public, had been profound. Hayley’s management prolonged past the college to the bigger group, through which she raised 1000’s of {dollars} in help of A number of Sclerosis analysis.
Invoice and Jennifer mentioned that Michaela got here into the world smiling.
Michaela was wanting ahead to attending center college at Chase Collegiate. Following in her Hayley’s footsteps, she was to take over her A number of Sclerosis trigger “Hayley’s Hope”, renaming it “Michaela’s Miracle” when Hayley left for Dartmouth this fall. She had accomplished her summer season studying and was embarking on the brand new Harry Potter sequence. Michaela beloved taking part in soccer, basketball, and lacrosse. She was identified for her superb friendships and being a champion by together with everybody.
Michaela beloved watching the cooking community and making ready “gourmand” meals for her household, and will at all times be discovered leaping on the trampoline in her yard.
Jennifer suffered from MS which is why her daughters had been so passionate concerning the trigger.
On the morning of July 22, 2007, the household went to church collectively. That night, Jennifer and Michaela went to an area grocery store in Cheshire to collect elements for a recipe that Michaela wished to prepare dinner – a pasta salad.
Throughout their journey, a person named Joshua Komisarjevsky seen them as a result of household’s Mercedes-Benz and adopted them across the grocery store and ended up following them dwelling.
The opposite perpetrator on this case was often called Steven Hayes on the time. Steven offered as male on the time of the murders. Steven later transitioned to feminine and is now often called Linda Hayes.
As some background into the perpetrators, Hayes was born Steven Joseph Hayes on Might 30, 1963. Hayes was first convicted for an offense as an grownup in 1980 at age 16. Between 1980 and the Cheshire murders in 2007, Hayes was arrested virtually 30 instances and spent a lot of this time in jail. Hayes’ last arrest prior to those murders was in 2004 after a automobile window was smashed with a rock and a girl’s purse was stolen. Hayes was paroled after this in 2006 and despatched to a midway home, the place she would meet Joshua,
Joshua was born on August 10, 1980 in Torrington, CT. Joshua was born to a 16 12 months outdated teen. He ended up being adopted by Benedict Komisarjevsky, the son of theatrical director Theodore Komisarjevsky and dancer Ernestine Stodelle, and his spouse Jude (née Motkya).
Within the early 90’s, Joshua’s sister accused him of sexual assault. He was convicted of that crime. He dedicated his first housebreaking when he was 14. In 2002, at age 22, he was arrested for 18 dwelling invasions.
Joshua’s lawyer mentioned that he was informed about all the crimes in good element. Joshua mentioned that after robbing houses, he would go into bedrooms and take heed to his victims breathe. He mentioned he did this as a result of he loved the sensation of invading folks’s houses and violating their safety and privateness
Joshua was convicted of 12 counts of housebreaking in December 2002 and was sentenced to 9 years in jail. Decide James Bentivegna described Joshua as a “calculated, cold-blooded predator”.
Joshua ended up being paroled in April 2007. Beneath Connecticut regulation, prosecutors had been speculated to ship the parole board a transcript of the sentencing continuing. However the parole board that launched him by no means acquired the transcript and was not conscious of all the main points relating to his case.
It looks like Joshua and Hayes had determined to hold out against the law and determined that the Petit household can be the goal.
After Joshua adopted the household dwelling, he had a textual content dialog with Hayes that learn: “I’m chomping on the bit to get began. Want a margarita quickly.” Hayes then texted, “We nonetheless on?” Joshua replied, “Sure.” Hayes’s subsequent textual content requested, “Quickly?”, to which Joshua replied: “I’m placing the child to mattress maintain your horses”. Hayes replied: “Dude, the horses need to get free. LOL.”
The 2 hatched a plan to rob and ransack the Petit home, however they apparently by no means deliberate to harm anybody.
On that evening, July 22/23, William fell asleep on the sofa downstairs within the sunroom. This occurred typically as he didn’t prefer to disturb Jennifer by entering into mattress when she was asleep. He had fallen asleep after studying the paper, whereas the ladies watched Military Wives in the lounge.
This data about that evening is from Time.com:
He was exhausted. He had gotten some solar out on the golf course, and he had simply eaten an enormous plate of pasta. Not lengthy after the ladies’ present began, he was out chilly on the sofa, a piece of the newspaper on his chest. When Military Wives ended, at eleven, the ladies locked up the home and went upstairs to mattress, leaving a lightweight on within the kitchen for the cats, as ordinary. Along with her dad asleep on the sofa downstairs, Michaela curled up in her dad and mom’ mattress, the place she and Jennifer learn the newest Harry Potter guide collectively, and fell asleep.
Hayes and Joshua entered the home within the early hours of July 23 via the basement and an unlocked door. They discovered William sleeping within the solar room. Joshua discovered a baseball bat leaning on the basement stairs and he used that to strike William within the head a number of instances.
“It was very unusual,” he replied. “I keep in mind considering and feeling: ‘Ow! Ow! Ow!’”
“The subsequent factor I knew,” he mentioned, “I used to be seated in the midst of the couch with my head down. It was darkish. There was one thing heat working down the entrance of my face.”
They then sure William’s wrists and ankles with zip ties and twine. William has mentioned that one legal mentioned to the opposite ‘If he strikes, put two bullets in him.’
William rapidly realized he was in grave hazard. In accordance with Time, “He has been taking a prescription blood thinner known as Coumadin since he had coronary heart hassle just a few years in the past, in order he lies on the sofa, he’s bleeding out sooner than most individuals would.”
William mentioned that one of many males mentioned, “For those who give us what we would like, we received’t damage you” and requested, “The place’s the protected?” He mentioned there was no protected.
William mentioned he was “out and in” of consciousness, however heard early morning birds singing.
Joshua and Hayes went and located Jennifer and the ladies. They tied them by their wrists and ankles to their bedposts. They positioned pillowcases over their heads.
After restraining everybody, they ransacked the home for money. They weren’t happy with what they discovered.
Hayes left the house and bought $10 price of gasoline. The gasoline was put into two cans that had been taken from the Petit home.
Hayes returned to the house and compelled Jennifer to go to a financial institution to withdraw $15k. Hayes mentioned that the household can be harmed if Jennifer didn’t get the cash. Jennifer went into the Financial institution of America department the place Mary Lyons was working because the supervisor.
Mary spoke to USA Immediately about her interplay with Jennifer.
“She defined to me that her household was being held and so long as she acquired the cash and acquired again to the home everyone can be OK,” Mary mentioned. “I simply knew from the look on her face and the look in her eyes that she was telling the reality. Her eyes informed me — a glance from one mother to a different mother.”
Mary authorized the transaction and Jennifer left with the $15k. Mary then known as the police.
Regardless of the fast motion from the financial institution, police determined to evaluate the scenario and arrange a car perimeter close to the Petit home which took over half an hour. Throughout that point, Jennifer and Hayes returned to the house. Joshua sexually assaulted Michaela – the 11 y/o. He documented the assault and rape of the kid on his cellphone.
Hayes raped Jennifer. This occurred after obvious provocation by Joshua.
William was nonetheless restrained and he may hear his spouse’s assault happening. He yelled up and heard one of many invaders say, “Don’t fear. It’s all gonna be over in a few minutes.” William then managed to flee.
He did so through the use of the pole he was tied to to interrupt the plastic zip ties binding his fingers and escaped via the basement’s bulkhead door. When he went subsequent door to ask for assist (he needed to roll throughout the bottom to make it), his neighbor didn’t even acknowledge him as a result of severity of his accidents,
He later mentioned, “I believed, it’s now or by no means as a result of in my thoughts at that second, I believed they had been going to shoot all of us.”
Whereas Hayes was raping Jennifer, Joshua found that William had escaped. That is when the crime turned lethal.
Hayes strangled Jennifer to dying. The criminals then doused her physique and elements of the home together with the bedrooms of the ladies, and the ladies themselves, with gasoline.
Hayes and Joshua set the home on fireplace and fled the scene.
Hayley managed to flee her restraints and run out of the bed room. She ended up collapsing on the high of the staircase. She died from smoke inhalation. Third and fourth-degree burns on her toes indicated that she acquired very near the fireplace across the time she died. The health worker who carried out an post-mortem on her couldn’t decide if the burns occurred earlier than or after her dying.
Michaela additionally died from smoke inhalation. She additionally suffered burns which can have occurred whereas she was nonetheless alive. Joshua’s semen was discovered on Michaela’s physique. Bleach was additionally discovered on her garments which signifies that Joshua might have tried to remove DNA proof.
When police arrived on the Petit dwelling, they discovered William on the neighbor’s dwelling, severely injured. They didn’t know if he was a sufferer or the perpetrator and wouldn’t even unrestrain him at first.
Hayes and Joshua fled the scene within the Petit household car. They had been instantly noticed by police surveillance and had been pursued. They ended up being arrested one block away after they crashed right into a police automobile. The horror on the Petit dwelling had lasted seven hours.
Each Hayes and Joshua confessed to the murders. Hayes was mentioned to odor of gasoline throughout the interrogation with police.
Hayes and Joshua tried responsible one another. Joshua additionally tried responsible William.
Hayes and Joshua ended up being tried individually. Hayes’ trial started on September 13, 2010. The jury was made up of seven ladies and 5 males.
Hayes’ protection staff tried to argue that Josua was the mastermind behind the entire crime. In addition they argued that Joshua was answerable for how violent the crime grew to become.
Excerpts from Joshua’s journal had been offered in courtroom.
“I’m not an angel,” Joshua wrote. “I’ve by no means claimed to be. The scars on my soul have endlessly outlined me as totally different than others.”
Within the journal, Joshua denied after raping Michaela however did admit to sexually assaulting her.
Joshua mentioned that he “resented” the implication that he raped Michaela and wrote that he had “spared her that diploma of demoralization.” “In a vulgar show of energy, I ejaculated onto her.”
“As for why? It was the buildup of years of pent up aggression,” he wrote.
Joshua additionally wrote within the journal that he took pictures of Michaela and was going to make use of them to blackmail her dad and mom.
The jury had been proven 8 pictures, taken from Joshua’s cellphone. In two pictures, Joshua was photographed nude and posing suggestively. 5 confirmed a younger feminine together with her arms tied above her head, with a fabric over her face and an in depth up of her underwear.
The eighth picture was of an older feminine, her legs splayed.
“What I used to be not ready for was my demons getting the higher of me,” he wrote.
He additionally wrote about William and his actions within the journal.
“For those who don’t need to defend your loved ones, then take your probabilities with the legal whereas police sit outdoors and comply with protocol,” he wrote.
“Hayley is a fighter. She frequently tried time and time once more to free herself,” he wrote. “Michaela was calm. Mrs. Petit’s braveness was, is, to be revered. She may have stayed contained in the financial institution the place she was protected.”
“Mr. Petit is a coward, he ran away when he felt his personal life was threatened,” Joshua wrote. “Time and time once more I gave him the possibility to save lots of his household.”
Turning among the blame on Hayes, Joshua wrote, “When Steve took the lifetime of Mrs. Petit, he took it to an entire new degree.”
“I’m what I’m and make no excuses,” he wrote. “I’m a legal with a legal’s thoughts, and my anticipated dying sentence might be a sentence of mercy.”
Joshua wrote about how when he began attacking William it “launched a leash too arduous to rein again in.”
“I used to be confronted with the surprising realization that in some respects, I get pleasure from it,” he wrote. “They had been experiencing what I expertise daily.”
He additionally wrote “I’m not happy with the end result of July 23. “Michaela, angel of my nightmares. My ache to yours doesn’t examine. How may I’ve turned my again strolling out that door understanding your worry and sorrow?”
“Michaela, Haley, Jennifer – forgive me please,” he wrote “I’m damned, take my life.”
William attended courtroom daily of the trial.
The jury ended up deliberating for round 5 hours and introduced a responsible verdict on October 5, 2010.
Hayes’ sentencing trial started on October 18, 2010. Jurors needed to determine if Hayes ought to obtain the dying penalty or ought to be imprisoned for all times. Deliberations started on November 5, 2010. The jury was break up after the primary day of deliberations at first.
Protection lawyer Thomas Ullman informed the jury {that a} sentence of life in jail can be the harshest doable punishment for his shopper Hayes, as a result of she was so suffering from her crimes and can be remoted in jail. “Life in jail with out the opportunity of launch is the harshest penalty,” Ullman mentioned. “It’s a destiny worse than dying. If you wish to finish (her) distress, put (her) to dying. In order for you (her) to endure and carry that burden endlessly, the guilt, disgrace, and humiliation, sentence (her) to life with out the opportunity of launch.”
On November 8, 2010, the jury really useful that Hayes be executed. They reached this choice after 17 hours of deliberation.
After the decision, her protection lawyer said: “Hayes smiled upon listening to the jury’s suggestion of a dying sentence.” She then added: “(Hayes) is thrilled. That’s what (she)’s wished all alongside.
William spoke at a press convention after the decision was returned. “Everyone knows that God would be the last arbiter and I feel the defendant faces way more severe punishments from the Lord than (she) can ever face from mankind.” He additionally spoke about his household, saying: “Michaela was an 11-year-old little lady tortured and killed in her personal bed room, surrounded by stuffed animals. Hayley had a fantastic future. She was a powerful and brave individual, and Jennifer helped so many children.”
After Hayes’ trial, the Connecticut state judicial department supplied post-traumatic stress help to jurors as a result of disturbing photographs and testimony that they had been uncovered to.
On December 2, 2010, Hayes apologized for the ache and struggling she had induced the Petit household and added that: “Loss of life for me might be a welcome aid and I hope it is going to carry some peace and luxury to those that I’ve damage a lot.”
Decide Jon Blue formally imposed six dying sentences, one for every of the capital costs; Blue then added a sentence of 106 years for different crimes Hayes dedicated throughout the dwelling invasion, together with kidnapping, housebreaking, and assault, earlier than ending with, “This can be a horrible sentence, however is, in reality, a sentence you wrote for your self in flames. Might God have mercy in your soul.”
The decide additionally gave Hayes an official execution date of Might 27, 2011; Blue mentioned the date was a formality, as a result of if Hayes appealed her case, her execution could possibly be delayed for many years. Her dying sentence grew to become a life sentence in August 2015 when the state abolished capital punishment.
In an interview in October 2019, Hayes said she was transgender and was present process hormone remedy as a part of her gender transition whereas incarcerated.
She mentioned she had been identified with a gender id dysfunction at 16, however by no means handled.
Joshua’s trial started on September 19, 2011. His attorneys supplied to have him plead responsible in trade for all times in jail, however prosecutors wished to take the case to trial as a way to give him the dying penalty.
Joshua’s attorneys tried responsible Hayes and painted her because the legal mastermind. In addition they mentioned that Joshua was confused and simply led and that he by no means meant to kill anybody.
Joshua was discovered responsible on October 13, 2011. On December 9, 2011, the jury really useful the dying penalty.
Decide Blue mentioned “This can be a horrible sentence, however it’s one you wrote for your self with deeds of unimaginable horror and savagery.”
Joshua made an announcement throughout the sentencing listening to. He spoke concerning the disgrace, disappointment, and damage he had induced, saying: “I’ll by no means discover peace inside. My life might be a continuation of the damage I induced. The clock is now ticking and I owe a debt I can not repay.”
Although he acknowledged collaborating within the crime, he insisted that he didn’t intend to kill anybody, saying: “Tens of millions have judged me responsible of capital offenses I didn’t commit. I didn’t intend for these ladies to die. They had been by no means speculated to lose their lives. I don’t want twelve folks to inform me what I’m responsible or not responsible of. None of them had been there that morning. I do know my obligations. I’ll bear them as I ought to. What I can not do is declare accountability for the actions of one other.” He spoke about how the trial affected him, saying that he had turn into “fairly snug within the face of hatred and bigotry” and mentioned that the jury who really useful the dying penalty for him “believed me so nugatory even my very existence is deemed insupportable.”
He additionally mentioned that forgiveness was not his to have, and that he wanted to forgive his worst enemy – himself.
Throughout his sufferer affect assertion, William described the crime as his private holocaust and mentioned “I’ve a tough time sleeping and trusting anymore. I hope to proceed to honor my household. I push ahead within the hope that good will overcome evil.”
Decide Blue set July 20, 2012, as Komisarjevsky’s execution date. His dying sentence was changed into a life sentence in August 2015.
In 2012, William remarried. His new spouse is photographer Christine Paluf.
The 2 met whereas Christine whereas working as a volunteer for the Petit Household Basis, a charity arrange by William in reminiscence of his household. The muse helps educate younger folks, enhance the lives of these with power diseases and defend these affected by violence.
Jennifer’s mom, Marybelle Hawke, has mentioned her household welcomed the engagement and inspired William to search out peace and pleasure in his life.
Jennifer’s sister was among the many wedding ceremony friends. A blessing written by Jennifer’s father, the Rev. Richard Hawke, was learn on the wedding ceremony.
In November 2013, the couple had a son collectively. He’s additionally named William.
The Petit household dwelling at 300 Sorguhm Mill Drive was torn down after the occasions. In 2020, a memorial was constructed on the location.
“I can’t wait to come back dwelling tomorrow and see all of it completed,” mentioned neighbor Anthony Ferraiolo.
Anthony and his spouse Kim spent years sustaining the backyard memorial that was erected the place the Petit dwelling as soon as stood.
“Folks will nonetheless come right here and sit and stroll round and replicate,” mentioned Anthony. “They depart lots of momentos. There’s at all times been crosses left in lots of issues. We’ve collected them through the years.”
The brand new design was put collectively by the Petit Household Basis. It features a 30-foot stone circle with benches, stepping stones, and a cobblestone walkway. A fountain might be positioned within the middle within the coming months.
“It’s going to be one thing completely self-sufficient. It’s going to be solar-powered. We’re going to place a effectively in right here,” mentioned David Lamoreux who assisted within the undertaking design.
The brand new memorial contains among the authentic items. The three angel stone crosses, and benches might be reused whereas among the vegetation have been repurposed.
The 4 o’clock flower, which was Michaela’s favourite will take a outstanding position within the memorial as effectively. Three heart-shaped gardens could have the flowers planted in them. The state of Connecticut made named the flower the state’s official youngsters’s flower in her honor.
“I feel that the neighborhood will actually embrace it so will the city as they’ve previously,” mentioned Anthony.
SOURCE LIST
https://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/web page?id=11925877
https://time.com/4032204/petit-home-invasion-the-rising
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheshire_home_invasion_murders
https://obituaries.sharonherald.com/obituary/jennifer-hawke-petit-753095741
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/record-journal/title/michaela-petit-obituary?id=6581809