CHESHIRE, Conn. -- New Haven State's Attorney Michael Dearington said that he will seek the death penalty against the two suspects in the Cheshire home invasion in which a prominent doctor's wife and two daughters were killed.

Joshua Komisarjevsky, 26, of Cheshire, and Steven Hayes, 44, of Winsted, were each charged Thursday with six counts of capital felony murder.

Complete List of all Charges, Detailed:

• Joshua Komisarjevsky
• Steven Hayes

Investigators said two men broke into the home of Dr. William Petit Jr. early Monday morning and held the Petit family hostage for hours before setting the home on fire and trying to flee.

The medical examiner 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. The Bailey Funeral Home in Plainville is in the process of making funeral arrangements.

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Murder committed in the course of committing first-degree sexual assault, murder of a kidnapped person, murder of two or more people at the same time, and murder of someone under age 16 are capital felonies punishable by either the death penalty or life in prison in Connecticut.

Komisarjevsky and Hayes had already been charged with assault, sexual assault, kidnapping, burglary, robbery, arson, larceny and risk of injury to children. They were each being held on $15 million bond.

Hayes was charged in the sexual assault of Hawke-Petit, and Komisarjevsky in the sexual assault of Michaela.

The suspects were apprehended after they crashed their getaway vehicle -- the Petits' car -- into three police cruisers, according to police.

Eyewitness News has learned that Hayes and Komisarjevsky are accused of following Hawke-Petit and one of her daughters to their home from a local Stop & Shop Sunday evening.

Komisarjevsky and Hayes both have lengthy criminal records that include larceny and burglary and were out on parole at the time of the home invasion.

The crime has prompted the Connecticut Board of Pardons and Parole to review its policies. Robert Farr, the board's chairman, acknowledged it will be a difficult task because neither suspect had any history of violent crimes when they were paroled this spring.

Farr has acknowledged that board didn't have as much information as it should have had about the men's records, such as the transcript from a 2002 sentencing where a Bristol Superior Court judge called Komisarjevsky "a cold, calculating predator."

Komisarjevsky was sentenced to nine years in prison with six years of special parole for a string of burglaries in which he wore military night vision goggles and burglarized homes while the occupants slept, police said.

Suspect's Uncle Releases Statement

Komisarjevsky, a member of a prominent family in the stage arts, is the grandson of Theodore Komisarjevsky, a Russian theater director and designer, and Ernestine Stodelle, a former dancer, dance critic, author and studio director.

In lieu of anticipated charges, the uncle of Joshua Komisarjevsky released a statement in connection with the case.

"The crime and the murder of members of the Petit family in Cheshire are horrible … more than anyone can imagine. It was a monstrous, deranged act, beyond comprehension," Chris Komisarjevsky said in the written statement. "We are so sorry that anything like this could happen. Our sympathies go out to all of the Petit family -- friends, relatives and all those whose lives they touched."

Chris Komisarjevsky said in his statement that his nephew was adopted by Ben and Jude Komisarjevsky, who he said are both very religious. He said that his nephew was estranged from his family while in prison for five years.

"We cannot and will not condone anything the accused have done," Chris Komisarjevsky said. "Justice needs to take place."

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