Who Killed Amanda Price?

Ron and Amanda Price with their daughter

Amanda Price, a wife and mother from New Albany, Mississippi, was shot and killed just outside of her home on Monday, December 6.  Just before 10 p.m., Amanda went outside to the backyard to let the family dog out, when a masked man shot her in the chest. Amanda’s husband, local high school football coach Ron Price, ran outside when he heard the commotion, and was shot in the shoulder.

Ron was treated and released from the hospital hours later, but Amanda didn’t survive. Police say there was a string of car burglaries in the area at around the same time as the shooting. According to police, Ron told them the shooter was approximately 6 foot tall, dressed in dark clothing, and had a mask over his face.

The couple has a three year old daughter who was home at the time of the shootings, but was not hurt.

Ron had just completed his fourth season as head football coach at New Albany High School, and Amanda was a speech pathologist as a nearby school. According to neighbors in their community, Ron and Amanda were very well-liked and appeared to be a “perfect couple.”

Police say they are continuing to follow leads and that they believe this was a random shooting. There is a reward of $25,000 being offered for information leading to a conviction.

UPDATE: 12/17 7:15 PM CST

WTVA is reporting that two persons of interest are currently in custody, being held for parole violations.  The two are said to be males in their early 20s, who were arrested on theft charges.

Charges are expected to be filed in this case early next week.

UPDATE: 12/21 1 PM CST

An arrest has officially been made in this case. Craig O’Brien Baker, 20, has been arrested and charged with one count of capital murder, one count of aggravated assault, and two counts of auto burglary.

Police say Baker had no connection to the Prices, and that they believe it was a random home invasion gone bad.

Baker has been denied bond, and authorities say they will seek the death penalty.

RIP Amanda.

SOURCES:

– http://www.wtva.com/news/local/story/New-Albany-coach-shot-wife-killed/xyKvigIwYUC2L4RETJ-1CA.cspx

– http://www.wtva.com/news/local/story/More-details-revealed-from-murder-investigation/WoCBbh-bjEOGB62GUimxbw.cspx

– http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2070937/Amanda-Price-murder-Police-search-masked-thug-shot-New-Albany-coachs-wife.html

– http://www.djournal.com/view/full_story/16832919/article-UPDATE–Arrest-made-in-Price-shooting-case?instance=home_news_right

Connecticut Home Invasion Murder: GUILTY

Steven Hayes, 48 (left) and Joshua Komisarjevsky, 31 (right)

Anyone who knows me pretty much knows that I am not a death penalty supporter.  I followed the Casey Anthony trial, and although I did want her to be found guilty, there was something about sentencing her to death that just didn’t sit right with me. I felt the same way about the Scott Peterson trial, believe it or not. Joshua Komisarjevsky and Steven Hayes are different stories, however, and I can’t help but think that no one is more deserving of the death penalty than these two.

On July 23, 2007, Komisarjevsky and Hayes broke into the Petit family home in Cheshire, Connecticut during the early morning hours. Inside the home, fast asleep, were Dr. William A. Petit, Jr., a well-known endocrinologist, his 48-year-old wife Jennifer Hawke-Petit, and their two daughters, Hayley, 17, and Michaela, 11. The day before, Komisarjevsky had spotted Jennifer shopping at a local grocery store, and, unbeknownst to her, had followed her home.

Once inside, Komisarjevsky and Hayes severely beat Dr. Petit, tied up the daughters in separate rooms, and forced Jennifer to go with them to the bank to withdraw $15,000. While at the bank, Jennifer told the bank teller that her family was being held hostage at their home and to please send help right away. The teller was able to call police, but it wasn’t in time. The teller would later testify in court that Jennifer had sounded ‘petrified.’

As soon as they arrived back at the house, Komsarjevsky and Hayes raped and strangled Jennifer, sexually assaulted one of the daughters, and then set the house on fire. Dr. Petit managed to escape and made it to a neighbor’s house to call for help, but it was too late for the rest of his family. His wife and two daughters died in the fire.

Komasarjevsky and Hayes were apprehended as they were fleeing the scene by the arriving police officers.

Hayes went to trial last year, was convicted, and was sentenced to death. Komisarjevsky’s trial concluded Thursday, ending with a conviction on 17charges which included capital felony killing, sexual assault, kidnapping, and arson. Sentencing is scheduled to begin on October 24.

Dr. Petit was brave enough to re-live the nightmare over and over again, testifying at both trials. Hopefully he can find some sort of closure now that this is all over.

To read more about this case, below are some great articles. This has saddened me on so many levels, and it just goes to show you that you are never truly safe, even in your own home.

SOURCES:- http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/22/nyregion/komisarjevskys-confession-in-cheshire-triple-murder-played.html?_r=1&ref=petitfamily

http://abcnews.go.com/US/joshua-komisarjevsky-guilty-petit-connecticut-home-invasion-case/story?id=14728687

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1312548/CCTV-Jennifer-Hawke-Petit-pleading-bank-family-held-hostage-seen-jury.html