Seven-Hour Nightmare Unfolds in Quiet Connecticut Home
On July 23, 2007, the Petit family became victims of one of Connecticut's most horrifying crimes. Joshua Komisarjevsky and Steven Hayes were convicted of murdering Jennifer Hawke-Petit, a nurse, and her two daughters, 17-year-old Hayley and 11-year-old Michaela, during a seven-hour rampage of rape, sexual assault, and arson. The father, Dr. William Petit, survived after being beaten unconscious.
From Burglary to Brutality: The Attack Begins
Komisarjevsky first spotted Jennifer and her daughter at a supermarket and followed them home to Cheshire. He memorized their address, returned to settle his own daughter for the night, and came back to the Petit house in the early hours. Originally intending burglary, the crime escalated into unspeakable violence.
The intruders beat Dr. Petit with a baseball bat, leaving him unconscious in the basement. They restrained the girls and forced Jennifer to withdraw $15,000 from a bank. According to court testimony, Hayes raped and strangled Jennifer, while Komisarjevsky sexually assaulted 11-year-old Michaela.
Desperate Plea and Fiery End
Jennifer managed to discreetly alert the bank, which notified authorities. But by then, the killers had doused the house in accelerant and set it ablaze. Hayley broke free from her restraints but collapsed from smoke inhalation; Michaela never escaped her room. Both girls died of smoke inhalation. The killers fled in the family car but were apprehended immediately.
One detective described the crime scene as something that "never leaves your mind." Dr. Petit, after regaining consciousness, crawled to a neighbor's house to raise the alarm but could not save his family.
Aftermath and Legal Battle
Dr. Petit campaigned to retain the death penalty in Connecticut, successfully lobbying state senators to delay repeal legislation during Komisarjevsky's trial. "July 23, 2007, was our personal holocaust," Petit said after the death sentence. "A holocaust caused by two who are completely evil."
Komisarjevsky, now on death row, said in an interview, "I don't think I'll be executed against my will. I think if I volunteer, the state will execute me." He spends his time in solitary confinement drawing, watching television, and reading. "Some days you're just overwhelmed by the isolation," he said.
Cynthia Hawke-Renn, sister and aunt of the victims, told NBC: "He doesn't have nightmares, but I have nightmares. I think it's really sad that he doesn't have a conscience."
Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy signed legislation abolishing the death penalty for future offenses, but it did not apply to those already on death row. Komisarjevsky noted, "In order for some to swallow this bitter pill, it was inevitable that we would be left out."
