Man with Groton ties charged in murder-for-hire plot
Apr. 3—State police arrested a man with Groton ties on Monday on charges he enlisted a fellow prison inmate to hire a hitman to kill a woman, her children and the woman's boyfriend.
Joshua Peikert, 31, who is already in prison on a host of pending criminal charges, was served with a warrant charging him with conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to commit risk of injury to a minor in an alleged murder-for-hire plot.
Peikert was being held at Corrigan Correctional Center in Montville in 2022, when state police said he approached another inmate about the possibility of getting someone to kill a 29-year-old woman, her two kids, ages 10 and 1, and the woman's boyfriend.
Police said Peikert's brother, a U.S. Army sergeant stationed in Texas, is also expected to face charges related to the transfer of money to the inmate at Corrigan, though it is unclear how much he knew of the alleged plot or what charges he will face.
State police detectives were first alerted to the alleged plot on Oct. 19, 2022, when an inmate sent a letter to the intended target in Groton, warning her that Peikert was trying to hire a hitman. The woman who was the target, referred to in an arrest warrant affidavit as "Victim #1," went to Groton City police who in turn contacted state police.
Peikert's cellmate at Corrigan, who is referred to as "Witness #1" in police documents, claimed Peikert asked whether he knew anyone who would murder four people.
"I told Josh it would cost approximately $10,000 a head for each person killed. When I told this to Josh, he said it was doable and told me he would pay half up front and half after the job was done," the witness told police, according to the affidavit.
Peikert, police said, supplied the cellmate with the victim's address, where the victims would sleep and the location of a spare key to gain access to the house. The cellmate told police he had no intention of committing any violence but accepted a $500 "finders fee" wired to his prison account from Peikert's brother in Texas.
Peikert, police said, would later ask the cellmate why nothing had happened and the cell mate at first made excuses and later pretended "the hit" was out. The cell mate told police he wrote a letter to the intended victim to warn her, because he was worried about her safety. Police also seized recorded phone conversation between Peikert, the cell mate and Peikert's brother, 30-year-old Jeremiah Peikert in Texas in which they discuss "the job," which police said was code for the hit, the affidavit said.
On Dec. 17, 2023, state police Detective Christopher Hubbard, the lead investigator in the case, and another detective traveled to Austin, Texas to interview Jeremiah Peikert. The interview was facilitated by the authorities at Fort Cavazos U.S. Army Military Base where Jeremiah Peikert was stationed. He was questioned about the money sent to his brother's cell mate.
Police said Jeremiah Peikert, during the interview, admitted to knowing about his brother's plan.
"I knew the 'construction job' was not related to any type of actual construction. Instead, based on conversation I had with Josh and Witness #1 over the phone, I knew 'the job' was related to having Victim #1 hurt. I was unaware of the specifics, but I knew the money I sent was being paid to Witness #1 for his role in arranging to have Victim #1 hurt," Jeremiah Peikert told police, according to the affidavit.
Police said Jeremiah Peikert did not think kids were involved in the plot and said he had "thoughts about notifying police and/or Victim #1 but I never did, but know I should have."
Police said Joshua Peikert, who remains incarcerated and held on $500,000 bond in the latest case, declined to talk to police on advice of his attorney. He is due to appear May 3 in New London Superior Court.
Court records show Joshua Peikert has a host of pending criminal cases from alleged crimes committed in Groton in 2022, including disorderly conduct, interfering with a 911 call, violation of a criminal protective order, risk of injury to a minor and illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle.
In a statement, state police said Joshua Peikert's "accomplice" was taken into custody Tuesday by authorities in Azle, Texas. He awaits extradition back to Connecticut to face similar charges.
