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Jackson, Missouri resident Joshua Peikert, an inmate at Corrigan Correctional Institute in the New London County town of Uncasville, was arrested on Monday, April 1 on charges related to his alleged scheme to have four people killed, Connecticut State Police announced on Thursday, April 4.
According to an arrest affidavit, Peikert's arrest followed an investigation into his plot targeting a 29-year-old woman, a 10-year-old girl, a 1-year-old girl, and a 23-year-old man, authorities said.
The investigation began in October 2022, when authorities learned that a former inmate of Corrigan had sent a handwritten letter to one of the victims targeted by the scheme warning them of a "murder for hire" plot with her, her children, and her boyfriend as the targets. Peikert allegedly began planning this with this former inmate while they had been cellmates, according to state police.
In a written statement, this former inmate told investigators that Peikert had disclosed his plan to him after a short time of being cellmates. The inmate told Peikert that he knew some people who could have "taken care of it for him" and said it would cost around $10,000 per person. Peikert then said this was "doable" and that he would pay half up front and another half after the job was completed, according to the inmate's statement detailed in the affidavit.
The inmate added that he had no intention of hiring a hitman or committing any violence toward the victims but feigned interest in the plot, asking for payment to "arrange" the scheme. The former inmate eventually received a $100 and $150 installment as a "finder's fee" that was transferred to his tablet by Peikert's brother, Jeremiah Peikert, according to the affidavit.
The inmate later ran into Peikert in Corrigan and continued to play dumb when he asked why nothing had happened yet. Peikert's former cellmate was later assaulted by another inmate and wrote the handwritten letter to the victim while in the infirmary, the affidavit said.
This account was eventually confirmed by investigators, who later flew to Texas to interview Peikert's brother, a member of the military. During this interview, Jeremiah Peikert allegedly admitted he knew his brother's scheme would involve a victim getting hurt but denied knowing that kids would be targeted or that anyone would have been killed, the affidavit said.
Jeremiah Peikert also claimed that his brother showed "violent tendencies" growing up and that he is "manipulative," according to the affidavit.
As a result of this investigation, Joshua Peikert was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to commit risk of injury to minors. He was unable to post his court-set bond of $500,000 and was remanded back to the custody of the Connecticut Department of Correction, police said.
Additionally, Jeremiah Peikert was also taken into custody by law enforcement in Azle, Texas on Tuesday, April 2, and is awaiting extradition to Connecticut to face the same charges, state police added.
The investigation into the scheme remains ongoing.
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