Connecticut man convicted of torturing and killing couple and son, lighting house on fire

NEW LONDON, Conn. -- A 30-year-old man was convicted Tuesday of murdering a husband and wife and their son, as well as robbing their home and setting it on fire in 2017.

The Norwich Bulletin reports Sergio Correa was found guilty on 13 of the 14 counts he was tried on, including three counts of murder, murder with special circumstances, two counts of second-degree arson, murder in the commission of arson, first-degree burglary, and more. He was reportedly found not guilty of one count of felony murder.

According to the Hartford Courant, Correa planned with one of the victims, 21-year-old Matthew Lindquist, to rob Lindquist’s parents' home and steal guns in exchange for drugs. Lindquist was reportedly a heroin addict in withdrawal and tried backing out of the deal. Sergio and his sister Ruth Correa instead reportedly attacked Lindquist in the woods on Dec. 20, 2017.

The Norwich Bulletin reports Ruth said Sergio chased Lindquist in the woods. Ruth testified Sergio "hit him in the head with the machete." He was reportedly stabbed 67 times. Ruth also said during the trial Sergio "made me stab" Lindquist. Lindquist’s body was reportedly not found until over four months later, according to the Hartford Courant.

After killing Matthew Lindquist, Sergio and Ruth reportedly made their way to the Lindquists' main house, where they killed Matthew’s parents, Kenneth and Janet Lindquist, as well as their family dog. The Hartford Courant reports Sergio hit Kenneth in the head with a baseball bat, which caused his skull to break into more than 30 pieces. Janet was also beaten with the bat and strangled.

Sergio and Ruth Correa reportedly stole money and Christmas presents from the home before lighting it on fire.

Ruth pleaded guilty to three counts of murder in May 2021, WTIC-TV reports. In exchange for her guilty plea and testimony, she will serve 40 years in prison, according to the Hartford Courant.

Sergio faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. His sentencing is scheduled for March 2.

According to NBC Connecticut, the Lindquist family said in a statement, "It would be ignorant to presume that we are celebrating a guilty verdict as if it's some kind of victory. Do not be misled: A guilty verdict does not mean justice has prevailed; it does not mean the judicial system works; it does not mean we get to return to normal and move on with the lives we once knew."

The statement continued, "The lives that were taken at the hands of cold-blooded killers can never be returned, yet at least one of those unremorseful killers could have a life after prison after committing some of the most heinous acts in Connecticut's recent history. Meanwhile, the nightmare of what happened will haunt us forever. The best we can do to honor the lives of Mom, Dad, and Matthew is to fight to reform a horribly broken judicial system that is failing to serve and protect our communities."

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