Witness: DNA Links Home Invasion Suspects, Victims
NEW HAVEN, CT (CBS 2 / WCBS 880 / AP) -- A state forensic scientist says DNA evidence links victims of a fatal 2007 Connecticut home invasion with two men charged in the attack.
John Schienman testified Friday in the murder trial of Steven Hayes, one of two men charged with capital felony murder, sexual assault and other crimes in the deaths of Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her daughters, 17-year-old Hayley and 11-year-old Michaela.
Joshua Komisarjevsky awaits trial.
Hayes is accused of sexually assaulting Hawke-Petit, who was strangled. Schienman said Hayes' DNA was found on her body. He testified Komisarjevsky's DNA was found on Michaela, whom he is charged with sexually assaulting.
Dr. William Petit was beaten with a baseball bat but survived the attacks on his family. Schienman said a bat and Komisarjevsky's sweatshirt bore Petit's blood.
The girls died in a fire allegedly set by the attackers.
Dr. William Petit and his family find solace in the Petit Family Foundation. It's mission is to replace evil with kindness, reaching out to young people to young people, and protecting those impacted by violence.
LISTEN: WCBS 880 Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau reports
Ron Bookie, a long-time friend of the family says the foundation's work is critical to the Petit family, especially now.
"We're going through and doing good things for good people and people in need," Bookie tells WCBS 880 Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau.
A fundraising bike ride for the Petit Family Foundation kicks off at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, September 26 and will leave from Yankee Harley Davidson in Bristol through some backwoods of Connecticut and end at Bozzuto's in Cheshire.
LINK: Petit Family Foundation
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