UPDATE 2: The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office released a video of Honsch’s arraignment.
UPDATE: After 19 years police have pieced together enough information to identify two Jane Does and their alleged killer.
Robert Honsch, 70, was arrested early this morning in Dalton, Ohio, where he’s been living with his wife and their children. He is being charged with the murder of his first wife and daughter by the New Britain Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police.
On September 28, 1995 a young woman’s body was found behind the plaza at 593 Hartford Rd. in New Britain. Just eight days later the body of an adult woman was discovered by a hiker near the entrance to the Tolland State Forest in Tolland, Massachusetts, about 40 miles from New Britain. Both had gunshot wounds to the head, and neither had identifying information on their body.
The New Britain Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police have worked together on the case, operating on the theory that the two deaths were connected since early in the investigation when DNA testing confirmed that the girl found in New Britain was likely the daughter of the woman discovered in Massachusetts. Evidence collected at the scene in Massachusetts led investigators to believe there was a connection to upstate New York.
The victims have now been identified as–Marcia Honsch, born January 20, 1942, and Elizabeth Honsch, born April 1, 1977. Elizabeth was 17 at the time of her death.
The New Britain Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, and New York State Police worked together for years trying to get the word out about the missing women in the Albany area, but didn’t get any tips until this June when their family reported them missing to the New York State Police in Dutchess County, New York. DNA helped to officially identify the bodies.
Marcia and Elizabeth lived with Robert until October 1995, at which point their extended family lost all contact with them.
Robert Honsch is being held by Ohio authorities, but he will be extradited to Massachusetts and then Connecticut.
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New Britain police are expected to announce an update in the investigation of several bodies found behind a plaza on Hartford Road.
The department is expected to hold a press conference at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Tony Terzi covered developments last year:
Location where the bodies were found: