Lorne J. Acquin
Lorne J. Acquin (born March 21, 1950)[2] is an American mass murderer who killed his foster brother's wife, her seven children, and their niece in their home at Cedar Hill Drive in Prospect, Connecticut on July 22, 1977 by beating them to death with a tire iron. He afterward set fire to the building and escaped, but was arrested the following day and sentenced to 105 years in prison two years later.[3]
Lorne J. Acquin | |
|---|---|
| Born | Lorne Joe Acquin April 21, 1950 |
| Criminal penalty | 105 years in prison |
| Details | |
| Date | July 22, 1977 2:30 a.m. – 3:30 a.m. |
| Location(s) | Prospect, Connecticut |
| Target(s) | Foster brother's family |
| Killed | 9 |
| Weapons | |
It was the largest mass murder in Connecticut history until the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.[4][5]
Murders
On Friday, July 22, 1977 Lorne J. Acquin went to the home of his foster brother Fred Beaudoin, who was at work at the time, and killed the latter's wife Cheryl, their seven children, and a niece of theirs by bludgeoning them to death with a tire iron. He afterward spread gasoline around the house, set it on fire and escaped.
The charred body of Cheryl Beaudoin was later found on the kitchen floor, while the bodies of three children were found in one bedroom, and two more children in another. One further child was found dead in the master bedroom and two more bodies were found in the bathroom. Several of the children, as well as Cheryl Beaudoin, had their hands tied behind their backs. Two of the other children's feet were tied together. All of the children appeared to have head wounds.
Within 24 hours, police interviewed more than a hundred witnesses, including Fred Beaudoin and Lorne J. Acquin. The following Sunday night, Acquin agreed to make a statement to police in which he admitted to attacking his sister-in-law and the children. Later that day, he was charged with nine counts of murder and one count of arson.
Victims
- Cheryl Beaudoin, 29
- Frederick Beaudoin, 12
- Sharon Lee Beaudoin, 10
- Debra Ann Beaudoin, 9
- Paul Beaudoin, 8
- Roderick Beaudoin, 6
- Holly Lyn Beaudoin, 5
- Mary Lou Beaudoin, 4
- Jennifer Santoro, 6
Trial and conviction
Acquin went to trial on July 16, 1979. He was sentenced to 25 years to life on each murder conviction and 20 years for arson. He is serving his sentence in MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution.
References
- Julie Stagis (April 8, 2014). "1977 Mass Murder In Prospect Claimed Woman, 8 Children". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
- "Used tire iron to bludgeon 9, ex-con says". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 25, 1977. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
- Rachel Gottlieb. "W. M. Pickett dies; was a state judge". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
- Julie Stagis (April 8, 2014). "1977 Mass Murder In Prospect Claimed Woman, 8 Children". courant.com. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
Bibliography
- Lane, Brian & Gregg, Wilfred: The Encyclopedia of Mass Murder – A Chilling Collection of Mass Murder Cases; Carroll & Graf Publishers, New York, United States, 2004. ISBN 978-0786713561
- Richards, Cara Elizabeth: The Loss of Innocents: Child Killers and Their Victims; Rowman & Littlefield, 2000. ISBN 9780842026031