Montville, Conn. – An Army sergeant and his brother are facing charges related to an alleged murder-for-hire plot involving four individuals, including two young children. According to authorities, an inmate at MacDougall Correctional Institute in Suffield, Connecticut, claimed to have shared a cell with Joshua Peikert, who purportedly expressed a desire to have the four individuals killed – a 29-year-old woman, a 10-year-old girl, a 1-year-old girl, and a 23-year-old man.
The inmate allegedly offered to facilitate the murders for $10,000 per victim, with Peikert agreeing to pay half upfront and the rest after the killings. Peikert provided details such as addresses, sleeping arrangements of the victims, and spare key locations to access their residence. The inmate, however, stated that they had no intention of carrying out the murders but requested a finder’s fee of $500.
Subsequently, Peikert’s brother, identified as Jeremiah Peikert, reportedly deposited $250 to the inmate. Upon Joshua Peikert’s release from jail, the pair supposedly discussed a “construction job” and “materials,” which authorities believed was code for the planned hits. Following these events, both brothers were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to commit risk of injury to minors.
In a twist of events, a detective traveled to Texas to speak with Jeremiah Peikert, an Army sergeant, who admitted to knowing about his brother’s involvement in the plot but claimed ignorance regarding the specifics. Joshua Peikert was apprehended on April 1, while his brother was arrested in Texas on May 2 and extradited back to Connecticut. Presently, Jeremiah Peikert is being held on $500,000 bail, while Joshua Peikert’s bail is set at $710,000, records confirm.