Update on the Petit murders

CNN.com has an update on the case of the home invasion robbery which turned into a triple murder in Connecticut.

CHESHIRE, Connecticut (CNN) -- A hostage who was being forced to withdraw money at her bank managed to tip off a teller to call police, authorities said, before she was found dead at her family home.

Police in Cheshire, Connecticut, who are holding two suspects in the case, said Wednesday they expect the men to face murder charges in the home invasion and fire that left a mother and her two daughters dead.

An unidentified official told The Associated Press that the mother, Jennifer Hawke-Petit, 58, was taken hostage and forced to withdraw money at a local bank. Police told CNN the hostage at the bank was a female.

"The member of the residence was able to relay to the bank teller that they were being held captive," said police Lt. Jay Markella. "The bank teller notified the police department."

Autopsy results released Wednesday revealed that Hawke-Petit was strangled to death, and her two daughters -- Hayley, 17, and Michaela, 11 -- died from smoke inhalation, according to the state's Department of Public Safety. The state's chief medical examiner ruled all three deaths were homicides.

Prosecutor Michael Dearington told the AP that he had not yet decided whether to pursue the death penalty in the case. "I know the public consensus is they should be fried tomorrow," he told AP.

Mrs. Hawk-Petit displayed intelligence and courage under unbelievable stress in managing to get a message to a bank teller. It is a tragedy that she did not add foresight to her virtues by insisting that her household be armed and trained in the use of firearms so they they could have dealt with this home invasion in a way which would have allowed her and her children to live.

I say again. Arm yourself and train yourself so that this does not happen to you.

Oh, and I disagree with prosecutor Dearington. They should be fried today.