CHESHIRE, Conn. -- The wife and daughters of Dr. William Petit Jr. were murdered, the state medical examiner's office has ruled.

Investigators said two men broke into the family's home early Monday morning and held them hostage for hours before setting the home on fire and trying to flee.

The medical examiner has ruled that Jennifer Hawke-Petit, 48, died of asphyxiation due to strangulation, and the couple's two daughters -- Hayley, 17, and Michaela, 11 -- died due to smoke inhalation. All three deaths were ruled homicides.

Sources told Eyewitness News that both Hayley and Michaela were tied to their beds. Eyewitness News has learned that Michaela's body was discovered still tied to the bed, and Hayley was found at the top of the stairs.

Police said William Petit was assaulted and seriously injured in the incident. He remains at St. Mary's Hospital in stable condition.

Joshua Komisarjevsky, 26, of Cheshire and Steven Hayes, 44, of Winsted were arraigned Tuesday in Meriden Superior Court and charged with aggravated sexual assault, assault, arson, robbery, kidnapping, risk of injury to children and larceny. State police said Tuesday night more charges are pending.

State's Attorney Michael Dearington said he must make sure all the evidence is in place before deciding whether to pursue capital felony charges, which carry only two possible penalties -- lethal injection or life in prison without the chance of parole.

"I know the public consensus is they should be fried tomorrow," he said.

The two men -- who have lengthy criminal records that include larceny and burglary -- were out on parole Monday when they broke into the home of a prominent Cheshire physician and held his family hostage for hours before setting the home on fire, authorities said.

Hayes is being held at Northern Correctional Institution in Somers while Komisarjevsky is at the MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution in Suffield. Both are separated from the general prison population, said Department of Correction spokesman Brian Garnett.

Community Mourns Cheshire Family

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The family's church, Cheshire United Methodist Church on Academy Road, opened its doors on Tuesday afternoon, where religious leaders gathered to help the community grieve.

Flowers adorn the Petit home that authorities have since boarded up as investigators pick through the charred remains.

"It's so sad. My heart goes out to him," said Urma Defrancis, of Cheshire.

The family's minister spoke to William Petit from his bedside at the hospital.

"He took my hand and I took his and he said, 'Give your children a kiss for me, especially your daughter, Sage,'" said the Rev. Steve Volpe.

The community also remembered what so many loved about Hawke-Petit and the couple's two daughters.

Sam O'Donnell's niece was best friends with Michaela.

"She was always smiling, a happy, normal 11-year-old girl," O'Donnell said.

Hayley and Michaela's online Facebook pages have received hundreds of entries from well-wishers and those offering prayers.

"I can't believe this happened," Defrancis said. "I don't know how anyone could live like this. I can't believe this happened in Cheshire."

Helayne Lightstone, a spokeswoman for The Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain, where William Petit directed the Joslin Diabetes Center Affiliate, said an employee prayer service for Dr. Petit will be held at the hospital on Friday at noon. It will not be open to the public. The hospital has also made grief counselors available to staff.

The church plans to reopen its doors on Wednesday and Thursday at 3 p.m. until 8 p.m.

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