Aaron Schaffhausen

Aaron Schaffhausen
Nationality American
Criminal charge Murder
Criminal penalty Life imprisonment
Criminal status In prison
Spouse(s) Jessica Schaffhausen (2000-div. 2012)[1]
Children Amara Schaffhausen (–2012)
Sophie Schaffhausen (–2012)
Cecilia Schaffhausen (-2012)
Motive Revenge against ex-partner
Conviction(s) Murder
Details
Victims Amara, Sophie, and Cecilia Schaffhausen (his daughters)
Date July 10, 2012
Weapon Knife and hands

Aaron Schaffhausen is a man who murdered his three daughters in their house in River Falls, Wisconsin in 2012.[2]

Background

Aaron and Jessica Schaffhausen married in 2000 and both filed for divorce in 2011; the divorce was finalized the subsequent year,[1] in January. Jessica Schaffhausen and their daughters; Amara, Sophie, and Cecilia; lived in a house in River Falls which they rented from Aaron Schaffhausen while he lived in Minot, North Dakota.[3] The ex-wife had primary physical custody and determined the girls' education and health care; otherwise the two parties had joint custody.[1] Amara and Sophie attended Greenwood Elementary School.[4]

Crime

On July 10, 2012 Schaffhausen sent a text message to his wife requesting a visit to his daughters. The daughters were in the house while the ex-wife was not present. The babysitter left the house after the father arrived. After he arrived, he slit the throats of the three girls.[2] He also strangled Cecilia.[4] Amara, Sophie, and Cecilia were 11, 8, and 5.[5] He later called Jessica Schaffhausen to tell her that he had killed them.[2] A can of gasoline was spilled onto the ground.[6]

He turned himself in after arriving at a police station in River Falls.[3] He was charged with three murders and attempted arson.[6] Schaffhausen's bond was set to $2 million.[7]

Trial and punishment

On March 29, 2013 Schaffhausen entered a "guilty but insane" plea. Prosecutors accused Schaffhausen of killing the girls to get revenge against his ex-wife.[5] Schaffhausen stated that this was his motive, but that he did not know right from wrong due to a mental issue.[2] Schaffhausen also pleaded guilty to attempted arson.[8] According to prosecutors, Schaffhausen disliked the fact that his ex-wife was romantically involved with someone else and that he held resentment over the prior divorce.[5]

In April 2013 a jury ruled that Schaffhausen was sane when he committed the murders.[9] Jurors took three and a half hours to conclude that Schaffhausen knew right from wrong despite his mental issues.[10] Howard Cameron, the St. Croix County judge, gave him three life sentences without parole, one for each victim.[11] In 2014 Cameron also made Schaffhausen pay over $14,000 in restitution to Jessica Schaffhausen; about one fourth of the money given by his family and any money he earns while in prison will be garnished and given to the ex-wife.[12] In addition he was asked to pay witness costs of $10,000.[13] In 2015 one of the perpetrator's appeals was denied.[14]

The perpetrator was housed in the St. Croix County Jail during his trial.[15] He entered the Wisconsin Department of Corrections in July 2013.[16]

Aftermath

The funeral for the girls was held at the Kilkarney Hills Golf Club in River Falls on Tuesday, July 17, 2012.[17][18]

Affinity Plus Credit Union, a bank, acquired the house where the murders took place and Details Construction dismantled the house; its materials were donated to St. Croix Habitat for Humanity.[19] The bank planned to use the money generated from the sale of the land to fund a park built in honor of the girls.[20] The Tri-Angels Playground at Hoffman Park, accessible to handicapped children and built with designs referring to each of the three girls, opened in 2015.[21]

The ex-wife remarried and had children with her new husband.[22]

See also

Cases of filicide attributed to revenge against an ex-spouse:

References

  1. 1 2 3 Forliti, Amy (2012-07-11). "Father Arrested After Daughters Found Dead in Wis". ABC News. Archived from the original on 2012-07-15. Retrieved 2017-01-24.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Aaron Schaffhausen Update: Wis. father gets three consecutive life sentences for killing daughters". CBS News. 2013-06-16. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  3. 1 2 "Dad accused of killing 3 daughters called mom and said, 'You can come home now because I killed the kids,' she says". Fox News. 2012-07-12. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  4. 1 2 Rathbun, Andy (2012-07-11). "Father of River Falls sisters: 'I killed the kids'". Twin Cities Pioneer Press. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  5. 1 2 3 "3 Wisconsin sisters killed; dad gets 3 life sentences". CBS News. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  6. 1 2 Rathbun, Andy (2012-08-20). "River Falls killings: Dad charged with attempted arson". Twin Cities Pioneer Press. Retrieved 2017-01-24.
  7. ↑ "Attempted arson added to charges against father accused of killing girls". Associated Press at the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. 2012-08-22. Retrieved 2017-01-24.
  8. ↑ "Guilty but not responsible, Wisconsin suspect claims in his three daughters' deaths". Minneapolis Star-Tribune. 2013-03-28. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  9. ↑ "Jail Releases New Photo Of Aaron Schaffhausen". WCCO-TV (CBS Minnesota). 2013-07-21. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  10. ↑ "Wis. dad responsible for killing 3 daughters, jury rules". Associated Press at USA Today. 2013-04-16. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  11. ↑ Bee, Trisha (2013-07-16). "Aaron Schaffhausen gets 3 life sentences for killing daughters". CNN at Fox 6. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  12. ↑ "Judge Orders Schaffhausen To Pay Restitution To Ex-Wife". WCCO-TV (Minnesota CBS). 2014-01-24. Retrieved 2017-01-24.
  13. ↑ "Wis. judge orders Schaffhausen to pay restitution". Associated Press at WEAU. 2014-01-24. Retrieved 2017-01-24.
  14. ↑ "Appeals Court Upholds Schaffhausen's Conviction In Daughters' Death". WCCO-TV (CBS Minnesota). 2015-07-14. Retrieved 2017-01-24.
  15. ↑ Louwagie, Pam (2013-08-01). "Aaron Schaffhausen, who killed his 3 daughters, faces extra prison risks". Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Retrieved 2017-01-24.
  16. ↑ "Jail Releases New Photo Of Aaron Schaffhausen". WCCO-TV (CBS Minnesota). 2013-07-21. Retrieved 2017-01-24.
  17. ↑ "Amara Rose Schaffhausen." Pioneer Press. July 15, 2012. Retrieved on June 3, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Memorial service set for the Schaffhausen sisters." River Falls Journal. July 12, 2012. Retrieved on July 3, 2018.
  19. ↑ Murphy, Esme (2013-09-16). "Dismantling Of Schaffhausen House Begins". WCCO-TV CBS Minnesota. Retrieved 2017-01-24.
  20. ↑ Delong, Katie (2013-09-26). "River Falls home, where father killed three girls, demolished". CNN at Fox 6. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  21. ↑ Rupnow, Chuck (2015-08-05). "Mom gets her first look at playground honoring her three slain daughters". Leader-Telegram. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  22. ↑ Huppert, Boyd (2016-11-02). "Mom finds new life after deaths of 3 daughters". KARE-TV. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
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