Jurors on Wednesday were shown graphic pictures of an 11-year-old girl who was sexually molested and killed inside her bedroom during a deadly home invasion that also left her mother and older sister dead.
The evidence was presented by prosecutors in the trial of Joshua Komisarjevsky, 31, who faces a possible death sentence if convicted in the 2007 home invasion that left Jennifer Hawke-Petit, 48, and her daughters, Hayley, 17, and Michaela, dead inside their Cheshire, Conn., home.
The pictures of 11-year-old Michaela, the youngest victim, were allegedly taken by Komisarjevsky with his cellphone during the attack. John Brunetti, a state forensics science examiner, testified Wednesday that six of the images showed a young girl, dressed in a skirt or wrap, CTnow.com reports.
Both Michaela and Hayley died of smoke inhalation while tied to their beds after their home was doused with gasoline and set on fire. The girls' mother was raped and strangled.
Komisarjevsky has admitted to beating Hawke-Petit's husband, Dr. William Petit, the sole survivor of the attack, and molesting Michaela but blames his co-defendant, Steve Hayes, for the three killings. Hayes, was convicted last year of strangling Jennifer Hawke-Petit and killing Hayley and Michaela. Hayes was sentenced to death.
Prosecutors contend that both men are equally responsible for the crime.
Jurors were also shown Wednesday, text messages between Komisarjevsky and Hayes, including one in which one defendant told the other he was "chomping at the bit to get started."
"I'm chomping at the bit to get started," Hayes wrote, according to testimony. "Need a margarita soon."
After Hayes sends another text, Komisarjevsky replies that he's putting his young daughter to bed, adding "Hold your horses."
"Dude," Hayes responds, "the horses want to get loose. LOL."
Connecticut lab officials also told the jurors on Wednesday that blood samples turned up no alcohol or illegal drugs in the two men.
Authorities say Komisarjevsky and Hayes broke into the house, beat Dr. William Petit with a bat, then tied him, his wife and two daughters up as they looked for money. Hayes later drove Jennifer Hawke-Petit to a bank so she could make a withdrawal and then raped and strangled her after they returned to the house, police said.
Detective Joseph Vitello testified Monday that Komisarjevsky initially told investigators that he may have poured gasoline before the house was set on fire. That testimony undercut efforts by Komisarjevsky's lawyers to blame Hayes for pouring the gas.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
