This was in my local news. I\'m sure the CT people already heard this one:
(07-24) 09:14 PDT Cheshire, Conn. (AP) --
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 attend 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."
Each have rap sheets with more than 20 burglaries!
Anything less than the death penalty is not fair for these two.
Prayers.... The only thing you can really do with a situation like this.
0.5 miles from my house. Horrifying.
0.5 miles from my house. Horrifying.
Oh my goodness!I remember a couple years ago Hamden had a crime spree of sorts and its definatly scary!
I feel sad for the survivor,I hope he pulls through but,he lost the people he loves! (wife and kids)I cant begin to imagine what thats going to be like to deal with.
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.
Don\'t see murder on there.
**** the death penalty, let them be hung and humiliated on the town green (assuming you cheshire folk have one of those).
Cheshire, imo, is one of the nicest towns of New Haven County... I lived there for a few months in junior high, and it was clean, well kept, and quiet. This crime has probably gained so much popularity because of the town\'s small size; if it happened in New Haven, Hartford, Waterbury, or Bridgeport, I don\'t think it would make national news :sigh:
Just a few weeks ago, a mad man was running around in Branford in my sister\'s neighborhood with guns and ammo-the cops had the neighborhood blocked off. There were infrared helicopters looking for him, it was crazy, they finally caught him.
We got hit about a month ago, nothing of great value taken, just the uneasy feeling and hatred for the people that came in and had the NERVE... I guess we are lucky we weren\'t home...or they are lucky for that matter...
**** happens everywhere-no matter where you live, it seems no where is really safe.
Life\'s like a gamble...live it to the fullest...
**** those bastards, they should cut their eyes out, and then burn them at the stake...
How can you do that to a family???
My thoughts and prayers are with the dad.
let them be hung and humiliated on the town green (assuming you cheshire folk have one of those).
Something cruel and unusual is definitely in order! Public Stoning??
**** those bastards, they should cut their eyes out, and then burn them at the stake...
I concur!
Wow, I hadn\'t heard about that. Soo terrible....
Our house got broken into last week a couple days before face and alli left for 10,000 lakes. Over a hundred dollars in cash and change (i know that sounds funny, but the change was a huuuuge amount) plus face\'s cell phone and digital camera got taken. Worst thing is, it happened in the middle of the day while he was home upstairs on the computer, and he never heard anybody come in downstairs.... needless to say we bought a new lock and keep the house locked up even when we\'re home now.
Where\'s my "I <3 Willimantic!" shirt when i need it?
Joshua Komisarjevky, 26, of Cheshire, and Steven Hayes, 44, of Winsted, were charged with assault, sexual assault, kidnapping, burglary, robbery and arson.
Hell of a thing for a father and husband to have to live on knowing about/ possibly witnessing. My prayers are with him.
I say cut their
**** and balls off with a butter knife and feed them to them.
crazy, turns out that this is the father and step family of my friends girlfriend. may these people rot in hell