Murdered Mother, Daughters Remembered in Connecticut

Dr. William Petit Jr. remembered his wife Jennifer and two daughters, Michaela and Hayley, Saturday, almost a week after they were killed in a gruesome home invasion robbery in Cheshire, CT, when two men broke into the Petit home at 3 a.m. last Monday. Dr. Petit was reportedly bludgeoned almost immediately and left for dead in the home's basement, while the attackers assaulted his wife and daughters, forced his wife to withdraw money from a bank, and later burned their house down.

Petit, a prominent endocrinologist, was the only family member to survive the encounter, emerging from the house several hours later as it burned. Speaking publicly for the first time, he told the thousands of mourners at a memorial service, "I guess if there's anything to be gained from the senseless deaths of my beautiful family, it's for us all to go forward with the inclination to live with a faith that embodies action. Help a neighbor, fight for a cause, love your family. I'm really expecting all of you to go out and do some of these things with your family, in your own little way, to spread the work of these three wonderful women. Thank you." The Daily News said that 1,800 mourners filled a hall at Central Connecticut State University Saturday, with many more occupying overflow seating, to eulogize and remember the mother and daughters. A private funeral and burial was held earlier.

The events unfolded last week, when the police believe that Joshua Komisarjevsky and Steven Hayes, two parolees who met each other at a halfway house, staked out the Petit home. The New York Post reported yesterday that Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her 11-year-old daughter Michaela had been stalked at a grocery store parking lot near their home the day before by the suspected murderers. After the pair broke into the Petit home and put Petit in the basement, Hawke-Petit was forced to a bank at 9 a.m. Monday morning to withdraw $15,000. Somehow, she signaled to the teller that her family was in danger. The teller then called the police, but it was too late: The Petit house was already burning.

Police believe that Hawke-Petit was killed by Komisarjevsky or Hayes almost immediately upon return to her home. Seventeen-year-old Hayley Petit and her 11-year-old sister Michaela died from smoke inhalation after gas was splashed around their beds and set alight. It's believed that Hawke-Petit and Michaela were sexually assaulted. As police formed a barricade outside the Petit home to prevent Komisarjevsky and Hayes from fleeing, they witnessed the fire and could hear one of the two girls screaming for help.

Reports say that both men are attempting to pin the other as the primary culprit. Komisarjevsky and Hayes will be charged with murder, sexual assault, kidnapping and burglary. Connecticut prison officials defended their decision to parole Komisarjevsky and Hayes, saying that despite lengthy criminal histories, neither had a record of violent crimes, but Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell has asked for a review of parole and probation procedures. Twenty-three-year-old Komisarjevsky was a familiar face around Cheshire, having grown up in the Connecticut town north of New Haven.

Connecticut prosecutors have stated their intention of seeking the death penalty. In an interesting parallel to events in New York, the public defenders have a accused a Connecticut state attorney of potentially "polluting" the jury pool with statements. The NY Times reported that John A. Connelly had "described the case as the 'most horrendous murder in the state of Connecticut in the last 30 years,' adding, 'There are about five ways you could charge capital felony.'" Last week, the NY Sun noted that Brooklyn DA Charles Hynes' remarks about the suspected cop killers Dexter Bostick, Robert Ellis and Lee Woods, calling them "scum" and one a "mutt" and telling NY Post columnist Steve Dunleavy, "If these scum are convicted, I hope, I really hope, they rot, rot in jail," could be a violation.

Do you think Connecticut prosecutors should seek the death penalty? Do you think the suspects will plead guilty to avoid a trial and for life in prison?

Photograph of Dr. William Petit after the memorial service by Jessica Hill/AP

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Dave Hogarty in News on July 30, 2007 3:24 PM

Comments [rss]

SAenforcer

Not to bad mouth the cops at the scene, no scratch that, they deserve a little bad mouthing. As a cop for 25 years in San Antonio Tx., when I read this paragraph: "As police formed a barricade outside the Petit home to prevent Komisarjevsky and Hayes from fleeing, they witnessed the fire and could hear one of the two girls screaming for help". I became physically ill, I can't believe that not even one officer at the scene didn't stop screwing around forming barricades, treat it like an active shooter scenario, make entry, go in and get that little girl screaming for help out of there, and if you happen to run into the demons along the way, send them back to hell from where they escaped. I could care less how many brass were there ordering me not to, I would face the consequences after the little girl was safe. So Connecticut PD, I'm sorry, but you dropped the ball on this.

guest

I think both should face a firing squad myself, or burned at the stake. I am no vigilante, but the sheer horrific nature of the crimes and the way they treated other human beings goes beyond imagination.

gdlorance

Remember how William Wallace was put to death? That would be way too good for these 2 Sociopaths.

Nuff Said

guest

My question is what exactly was the timeline that supposedly prevented police from intervening before the women were murdered? The mother was taken to the bank at 9:00 a.m., and while the two thugs waited outside she had an opportunity to communicate to the teller that the whole family was being held hostage by the men who forced her to take out the $15,000 in cash. The statement that "The teller then called the police, but it was too late: The Petit house was already burning" is not exactly correct. Enroute back to the house the thugs stopped at a gas station and made the mother go in and get 2 cans of gasoline, with which they doused the bedrooms after they returned. The story says that "As police formed a barricade outside the Petit home to prevent Komisarjevsky and Hayes from fleeing, they witnessed the fire and could hear one of the two girls screaming for help." When did the teller make the call? And couldn't the police have acted more rapidly or done something more useful than stand in a barricade OUTSIDE the house while they heard one of the girls screaming?? Did they not really take the situation to be as thoroughly vicious as it was? or what??

(from) Appalled in Vermont

guest

#19..watching the news is like watching the horror channel. it's very depressing, and scary.

I just read the NYPOST link and it's truly disturbing and sickening.

guest

That piece of SHIT is smiling in the booking photo. This story is tragic. People fucking suck sometimes.

guest

This is one of the horrible stories on the local news that catches me by suprise as I come home all cheerful, then start crying my eyes out for this person.

I also wonder how the father could possibly go on. Getting your entire family killed....god...thats the worst possible thing to happen

also i cannot watch the news anymore

Peter

There's a bit of irony in this incident. Cheshire residents have long been complaining about the danger they say is posed by the two large prisons located in town. They're concerned that escaped inmates might be dangerous. The state corrections department ended up establishing a system that automatically will telephone local residents in case of an escape.

The irony is that neither of the accused killers had escaped from the local prisons.

guest

I was surprised that the Petit family didn't have a security system since they lived in such an upscale neighborhood.

Komisarjevsky had reportedly committed other burglaries in the area so it wasn't as if burglaries were that rare.

guest

Count me in as one normally liberal democrat hoping for the death penalty here.

Matter of fact, I'd gladly do he honors.

guest

how will the father go on with his life? how does anyone ever recover from such a horror?

ed_Extinct

*Especially people with big houses out in the country) should keep a gun at home.*

It's also a good reason to keep your house locked at all times and get a big dog like a rottie, german shepard or doberman.

if those guys had tried to break in with a dog keeping guard, they would have been eaten alive which is good.

perryair

Not to rehash a heated debate from last week but this is why people (especially people with big houses out in the country) should keep a gun at home.

tragic.

guest

sounds like it came straight out of a movie plot,

the stalking, the raping, the killing, the setting house on fire. any video?

and, the raping. (2 rapes)

the md may of also said to fight racism.

ed_Extinct

according to news sources these two animals have invaded other homes in the area of this crime as well. i do not think the doctor is involved.

guest

@guest at 4:32PM and 4:33PM

Actually, that makes perfect sense. The two daughters died of smoke inhalation. Their names were Hayley and Michaela. Their mother, Jennifer Hawke-Pitt was raped, as well as Michaela. Talking about THREE people here, guys. The one daughter just has a first name similar to her mother's maiden name. Learn how to comprehend what you read.

Elderta

#7: No.

guest

You need to be consistent when using first names and surnames. That's my "real journalism" tip for you today.

guest

Anyone else think the good doctor is involved in these murders somehow...?

pik

the 2 criminals should be put to death as soon as possible. preferably on a burning matress, bound and castrated. these disgusting jerks deserve no mercy for what they did to this family. my thoughts are with Mr. Petit.

ed_Extinct

While I do not normally support the death penalty, these two cowards should be tortured for weeks until they both are dead.

ed_Extinct

i flew to mexico this past weekend for a wedding and on my conecting flight from miami the woman sitting next to me was a drug rep who sold an endocrinology drug plan to this doctor...

freaky deaky.

guest

whoop dee whoopity dooo.

guest

I hope and pray that the people responsible for the murder of those 3 females are punished in every way possible for their crimes.

Here is an outline of the charges -- and yes, while they spared 17 yr old Hayley they raped the mom and the youngest daughter:

The charges against 26 yr old Joshua Komisarjevsky include:

One count:

First-degree assault (of William Petit)

First-degree aggravated sexual assault

First-degree burglary

First-degree arson

First-degree conspiracy to commit arson

First-degree robbery

First-degree larceny

Two counts:

Risk of Injury to a Minor

Six counts: Capital Felony

Murder of two or more persons (Hawke-Petit, Hayley, Michaela) at the same time and in the course of a single transaction

Murder of a person under 16 (Michaela Petit)

Murder of a kidnapped person (Hawke-Petit)

Murder of a kidnapped person (Hayley)

Murder of a kidnapped person (Michaela)

Murder of a person during a first-degree sexual assault (Michaela)

Six counts: First-degree kidnapping

Kidnapping of Michaela

Kidnapping of Hayley

Kidnapping of Hawke-Petit (with intention to compel third person to pay or deliver money or property as ransom)

Kidnapping of Hawke-Petit (restrained the person and abducted with the intent to accomplish or advance the commission of a felony)

Kidnapping of Hawke-Petit (restrained the person abducted with intent to terrorize her or a third person)

Kidnapping of William Petit

SOURCE: Court documents obtained from New Haven Superior Court

And against 44 yr old Steve Hayes:

The charges include:

One count:

First-degree aggravated sexual assault (of Hawke-Petit)

First-degree burglary

First-degree arson

First-degree conspiracy to commit arson

First-degree robbery

Risk of injury to a Minor

First-degree Aiding and Abetting Assault

First-degree larceny

Six counts: Capital Felony

Murder of two or more persons (Hawke-Petit, Hayley, Michaela) at the same time and in the course of a single transaction

Murder of a person under 16 (Michaela Petit)

Murder of a kidnapped person (Hawke-Petit)

Murder of a kidnapped person (Hayley)

Murder of a kidnapped person (Michaela)

Murder of a person during a first-degree sexual assault (Hawke-Petit)

Six counts: First-degree kidnapping

Kidnapping of Michaela

Kidnapping of Hayley

Kidnapping of Hawke-Petit (with intention to compel third person to pay or deliver money or property as ransom)

Kidnapping of Hawke-Petit (restrained the person and abducted with the intent to accomplish or advance the commission of a felony)

Kidnapping of Hawke-Petit (restrained the person abducted with intent to terrorize her or a third person)

Kidnapping of William Petit

SOURCE: Court documents obtained from New Haven Superior Court