Aaron Schaffhausen

Aaron Schaffhausen
Criminal status
In prison
SpouseJessica Schaffhausen (2000-div. 2012)[1]
ChildrenAmara Schaffhausen (2000–2012)
Sophie Schaffhausen (2003–2012)
Cecilia Schaffhausen (2007–2012)
MotiveRevenge against ex-partner
ConvictionFirst degree intentional homicide (3 counts)
Criminal penalty
3 life sentences without the possibility of parole
Details
VictimsAmara, Sophie, and Cecilia Schaffhausen (his daughters)
DateJuly 10, 2012
LocationRiver Falls, Wisconsin
WeaponKnife and hands

Aaron Schaffhausen is an American convicted murderer. He murdered his three daughters at their home in River Falls, Wisconsin in 2012.[2]

Background

Aaron and Jessica Schaffhausen married in 2000 and both filed for divorce in 2011; the divorce was finalized in January of the next year.[1] Jessica, who had primary physical custody, lived with their daughters, Amara, Sophie, and Cecilia in a house in River Falls that they rented from Aaron, while he lived in Minot, North Dakota.[3] The two parties had joint custody.[1] Amara and Sophie attended Greenwood Elementary School.[4]

Crime

On July 10, 2012, Aaron sent a text message to Jessica requesting a visit to their daughters. She was not present at the house, and the babysitter left after he arrived. He slit the girls' throats with a knife.[2] He also strangled Cecilia.[4] They were 11, 8, and 5.[5] He later called Jessica to tell her that he had killed them.[2] A can of gasoline was spilled onto the ground.[6]

Aaron turned himself in at a police station in River Falls.[3] He was charged with three murders and attempted arson.[6] His bond was set to $2 million.[7]

Trial and punishment

On March 29, 2013, Aaron entered a "guilty but insane" plea. Prosecutors accused him of killing the girls to get revenge against Jessica.[5] He stated that this was indeed his motive, but that he did not know right from wrong due to a mental issue.[2] He also pleaded guilty to attempted arson.[8] According to prosecutors, he disliked that Jessica was romantically involved with someone else, and he had resentment over the divorce.[5]

In April 2013 a jury ruled that Aaron was sane when he committed the murders.[9] Jurors took three and a half hours to conclude that he knew right from wrong despite his mental issues.[10] Howard Cameron, the St. Croix County judge, gave him three life sentences without parole, one for each victim.[11] In 2014 Cameron also made him pay over $14,000 in restitution to Jessica; about one-fourth of the money given by his family and any money he earns while in prison will be garnished and given to Jessica.[12] In addition he was asked to pay witness costs of $10,000.[13] In 2015 one of his appeals was denied.[14] He was housed in the St. Croix County Jail during his trial.[15] He entered the Wisconsin Department of Corrections in July 2013.[16]

Aftermath

The girls' funeral was held at the Kilkarney Hills Golf Club in River Falls on Tuesday, July 17, 2012.[17][18]

Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union acquired the house where the murders took place. Details Construction dismantled it, and its materials were donated to St. Croix Habitat for Humanity.[19] The credit union used the money generated from the sale of the land to fund a park built in honor of the girls.[20] The Tri-Angels Playground at Hoffman Park, accessible to handicapped children and built with designs referring to each of the girls, opened in 2015.[21]

Jessica remarried and had children with her new husband.[22]

See also

Cases of filicide attributed to revenge against an ex-spouse:

References

  1. 1 2 3 Forliti, Amy (2012-07-11). "Father Arrested After Daughters Found Dead in Wis". ABC News. Archived from the original on 2012-07-15. Retrieved 2017-01-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Aaron Schaffhausen Update: Wis. father gets three consecutive life sentences for killing daughters". CBS News. 2013-06-16. Archived from the original on 2017-02-02. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  3. 1 2 "Dad accused of killing 3 daughters called mom and said, 'You can come home now because I killed the kids,' she says". Fox News. 2012-07-12. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  4. 1 2 Rathbun, Andy (2012-07-11). "Father of River Falls sisters: 'I killed the kids'". Twin Cities Pioneer Press. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  5. 1 2 3 "3 Wisconsin sisters killed; dad gets 3 life sentences". CBS News. 16 July 2013. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  6. 1 2 Rathbun, Andy (2012-08-20). "River Falls killings: Dad charged with attempted arson". Twin Cities Pioneer Press. Archived from the original on 2017-01-24. Retrieved 2017-01-24.
  7. ↑ "Attempted arson added to charges against father accused of killing girls". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Associated Press. 2012-08-22. Archived from the original on 2017-02-02. Retrieved 2017-01-24.
  8. ↑ "Guilty but not responsible, Wisconsin suspect claims in his three daughters' deaths". Minneapolis Star-Tribune. 2013-03-28. Archived from the original on 2017-02-02. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  9. ↑ "Jail Releases New Photo Of Aaron Schaffhausen". WCCO-TV (CBS Minnesota). 2013-07-21. Archived from the original on 2016-01-26. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  10. ↑ "Wis. dad responsible for killing 3 daughters, jury rules". USA Today. Associated Press. 2013-04-16. Archived from the original on 2017-02-04. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  11. ↑ Bee, Trisha (2013-07-16). "Aaron Schaffhausen gets 3 life sentences for killing daughters". WITI-TV (Fox 6). CNN. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  12. ↑ "Judge Orders Schaffhausen To Pay Restitution To Ex-Wife". WCCO-TV (Minnesota CBS). 2014-01-24. Archived from the original on 2018-02-03. Retrieved 2017-01-24.
  13. ↑ "Wis. judge orders Schaffhausen to pay restitution". WEAU. Associated Press. 2014-01-24. Archived from the original on 2017-01-24. Retrieved 2017-01-24.
  14. ↑ "Appeals Court Upholds Schaffhausen's Conviction In Daughters' Death". WCCO-TV (CBS Minnesota). 2015-07-14. Retrieved 2017-01-24.
  15. ↑ Louwagie, Pam (2013-08-01). "Aaron Schaffhausen, who killed his 3 daughters, faces extra prison risks". Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Retrieved 2017-01-24.
  16. ↑ "Jail Releases New Photo Of Aaron Schaffhausen". WCCO-TV (CBS Minnesota). 2013-07-21. Archived from the original on 2016-01-26. Retrieved 2017-01-24.
  17. ↑ "Amara Rose Schaffhausen." Pioneer Press. July 15, 2012. Retrieved on June 3, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Memorial service set for the Schaffhausen sisters Archived 2018-07-02 at the Wayback Machine." River Falls Journal. July 12, 2012. Retrieved on July 3, 2018.
  19. ↑ Murphy, Esme (2013-09-16). "Dismantling Of Schaffhausen House Begins". WCCO-TV CBS Minnesota. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2017-01-24.
  20. ↑ Delong, Katie (2013-09-26). "River Falls home, where father killed three girls, demolished". WITI-TV (Fox 6). CNN. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  21. ↑ Rupnow, Chuck (2015-08-05). "Mom gets her first look at playground honoring her three slain daughters". Leader-Telegram. Archived from the original on 2017-02-02. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  22. ↑ "Mother of Schaffhausen girls remarries, expecting baby". bringmethenews.com. March 8, 2018. Retrieved 2026-03-21.
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