Army sergeant, brother arrested in murder-for-hire plot to kill 4, including 1-year-old girl

MONTVILLE, Conn. (TCD) -- An Army sergeant and his brother face charges in connection with a failed murder-for-hire plot against four victims, including two young children.

According to an affidavit from Connecticut State Police, an inmate at MacDougall Correctional Institute in Suffield, Connecticut, said they shared a cell with Joshua Peikert. Peikert reportedly told the inmate he wanted four victims 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 said he "knew a few people that could have that taken care of for him" and that it would cost $10,000 per victim. Peikert reportedly said that was "doable," and he offered to pay half up front and the other half after the victims' deaths. According to the affidavit, Peikert "wrote down on a piece of paper the victim's address, where the victims would sleep, as well as the location of a spare key" to get into their residence.

The inmate reportedly said they did not ever plan to harm or kill the victims, but they asked for $500 for a "finder's fee." The inmate also allegedly requested $250 up front and $250 after the job was complete. Peikert's brother, later identified as Jeremiah Peikert, deposited the inmate a total of $250 in the summer of 2022.

According to police, Joshua Peikert was bailed out of jail and spoke to the inmate on the phone regarding a "construction job" and "materials," which "was code for the hit." Two weeks after Peikert's release, he was reportedly booked into Corrigan, and the inmate ran into him at a recreational area. According to the affidavit, the inmate said they "played dumb, acting as if his brother had messed up with the transfer of money."

The inmate was allegedly assaulted in prison and wrote a letter to the intended 29-year-old victim a week later because they were "concerned for her safety and the safety of her children." The inmate was later transferred to another jail and learned Peikert had allegedly put a hit out for them.

According to the affidavit, in December 2023, a detective went to Texas to speak with Joshua Peikert's brother, an Army sergeant. The detective reportedly asked about the money transfers, and Jeremiah Peikert admitted he knew his brother arranged to harm a victim, but he said he didn't know the full details.

According to police, Joshua Peikert was arrested on April 1, while his brother was arrested in Texas on May 2 and extradited back to Connecticut. They each face charges of conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to commit risk of injury to minors. Jeremiah Peikert remains held on $500,000, and Joshua Piekert remains held on $710,000, records show. 

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