Aaron Schaffhausen Murdered His Three Daughters to Punish His Ex-Wife. He Will Never Leave Prison.

 

Aaron Schaffhausen Murdered His Three Daughters to Punish Their Mother

On July 10, 2012, Aaron Schaffhausen went to the Wisconsin home of his ex-wife, Jessica Schaffhausen, where their three daughters were staying.

Amara was 11. Sophie was 8. Cecilia was 5.

He played with them.

He tickled them.

He tucked them into bed.

Then he murdered all three.

Schaffhausen slashed their throats and strangled them, then attempted to set the house on fire by pouring gasoline in the basement.

About two hours later, he called Jessica.

According to court records, he told her:

“You can come home now because I killed the kids.”

Prosecutors said the murders were an act of revenge following the couple's divorce. Schaffhausen was reportedly furious that Jessica had moved on with her life and jealous of her relationship with another man.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree intentional homicide and one count of attempted arson, but argued that mental illness prevented him from understanding that what he had done was wrong.

A jury rejected that defense.

In July 2013, Schaffhausen was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.

The judge emphasized that each daughter was an individual human being whose life deserved to be recognized separately.

And that's the part worth holding onto.

Amara was not revenge. Sophie was not revenge. Cecilia was not revenge. They were three little girls whose father murdered them because he wanted their mother to hurt.