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Suspects' Creepy Texts In CT Triple Murder: "We Still On?"


By

Ben Yakas

Published Sep 24, 2010

Modified Sep 24, 2010


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By

Ben Yakas

Published Sep 24, 2010

Modified Sep 24, 2010


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Yesterday, a detective described the confession Steven Hayes gave shortly after a brutal home invasion and murder of a family in Connecticut. It included details about the formulation of Hayes' and Joshua Komisarjevsky's plan, as well as the tension between them that led Hayes to allegedly rape and strangle Jennifer Hawke-Petit. Today, jurors were told about a series of chilling text messages between the two accused murderers leading up to the home invasion that reveal a cold-hearted impatience to set their plan in motion.

Hayes told detective Anthony Buglione that the ex-con's original plan was to rob the Petit family, leave them in their car and set fire to the house to destroy evidence (not to kill them—Hawke-Petit and her two daughters died in the fire, while her husband, who was tied up in the basement, survived). But six hours before they kidnapped the family, Hayes texted Komisarjevsky, "I'm chomping at the bit to get started. Need a margarita soon." A quick back and forth was then exchanged: Hayes asked "we still on," Komisarjevsky responded "yes," Hayes asked "soon?," Komisarjevsky said "I'm putting kid to bed hold your horses," referring to his then five-year old son. Hayes responded flippantly, "Dude. The horses want to get loose! lol."

During today's session, a bizarre press conference was called by the lawyer of Komisarjevsky, who is currently awaiting trial once Hayes' trial is complete. Lawyer Jeremiah Donovan said he wanted to make clear that Komisarjevsky had already admitted to ejaculating over 11-year-old Michaela, the youngest Petit daughter allegdly raped by his client, but did not anally rape her. The day before, jurors had been told by medical examiners that swabs taken from the girl's anal area turned up enzymes for semen and sperm cells. Donovan's press conference was in defiance of a gag order on all sides that prohibits any lawyer from making "extrajudicial statements."

Tagged

connecticut

home invasion

joshua komisarjevsky

murder

rape

steven hayes

text messages

william petit


Ben Yakas

Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.

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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


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