A Connecticut Nightmare

The officer who was in the Petit's back yard had offered to make contact with people inside the house, but was told to wait until more police arrived.

By 9:55 a.m., the police had secured a perimeter around the house. Over a dozen emergency vehicles were gathered on the Petit's block. Many of them were unmarked police cars, their sirens turned off. Officers were gathered around the house, some carrying rifles and shotguns. They had no way of knowing that one hostage was already dead inside the home.

Around this time, a bruised man staggered out of the basement of the Petit house with his feet bound together. It was Dr. William Petit. Sources say police were close enough to hear him yelling his neighbor's first name. Then, police and neighbors heard a loud popping sound. It was the sound of a fire being set.

After the fire was blazing inside the house, Joshua Komisarjevsky ran out of the house first. Then came Steven Hayes, who was wearing one of Hayley's hats and laughing as the pair ran for the Petit family minivan.