Joshua & Jeremiah Peikert: Army Sergeant and brother charged in murder-for-hire plot to kill 4 including 1-year-old girl
SUFFIELD, CONNECTICUT: Joshua and Jeremiah Peikert, an army sergeant and his brother, are facing charges in connection with a disturbing murder-for-hire scheme targeting four victims, including two young children.
An inmate at MacDougall Correctional Institute claimed to have shared a cell with Joshua Peikert, according to the affidavit filed by Connecticut State Police.
He reportedly confided in the inmate, sharing his wish to have four people killed: a 29-year-old woman, a 10-year-old girl, a 1-year-old girl, and a 23-year-old man.
Insights into the alleged murder plot
Allegedly, Joshua suggested that he "knew some individuals who could handle the task" for $10,000 per victim. He proposed paying half of the amount upfront and the rest after the victims' deaths.
According to the affidavit, he "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 their home.
While the inmate claimed they had no intentions of harming or killing anyone, they asked Joshua for a $500 "finder's fee," with $250 to be paid before and after the task. Following this, Jeremiah Peikert, identified as his brother, transferred $250 to the inmate during the summer of 2022.
Jailhouse letter and Army Sergeant's statements
The affidavit revealed that Joshua, after being released on bail, used coded language like "construction job" and "materials" in phone conversations with the inmate, referring to the planned hit.
After his release, Joshua was rebooked into Corrigan Correctional Facility, where the inmate encountered him. The inmate feigned ignorance, pretending as though his brother had made an error with the money transfer.
Claiming to have been assaulted in prison, the inmate wrote a letter to the intended 29-year-old victim out of concern for her safety and that of her children. Upon discovering that there was a contract on their lives, the inmate was then moved to another detention facility.
In December 2023, a detective traveled to Texas to interview Jeremiah, an Army sergeant. During the interrogation, Jeremiah admitted knowledge of his brother's intentions to harm a victim but claimed ignorance of the full extent of the plan.
Joshua was arrested on April 1, while Jeremiah was apprehended in Texas on May 2 and extradited to Connecticut. Both brothers face charges of conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to commit risk of injury to minors.
Jeremiah is currently held in custody on a $500,000 bond, while Joshua's bond is set at $710,000, as per records.
