Prosecutors to seek death penalty in brutal home invasion case

(CNN) -- Prosecutors in Connecticut say they will seek the death penalty for two men charged with killing three members of a prominent Cheshire, Connecticut, doctor's family during a gruesome home invasion.

New Haven State's Attorney Michael Dearington announced additional charges against Steven Hayes, 44, and Joshua Komisarjevsky, 26, on Thursday.

The charged include murder -- called capitol felony in Connecticut -- which carries a sentence of either life without parole or execution by injection.

The suspects were initially charged with aggravated sexual assault, burglary and arson. Watch how the pair met at a halfway house »

Hayes and Komisarjevsky are accused of killing Jennifer Hawke-Petit, 48, and her daughters Hayley, 17, and Michaela, 11.

Hawke-Petit's husband, Dr. William Petit Jr., was assaulted and thrown into the basement of the home during the attack.

The state's chief medical examiner ruled all three deaths were homicides.

The incident began at about 3 a.m. Monday, when, police said, the two forced their way into the Petit home.

About six hours later, the intruders drove one of the female family members -- reportedly Jennifer Hawke-Petit -- to a Bank of America branch to withdraw money, police said.

The woman was "able to relay to the bank teller that ... the family was being held captive. The bank teller notified the police department," said Cheshire police Lt. Jay Markella.

By the time police arrived, the house was on fire. Authorities say it was an apparent attempt by the suspects to cover their tracks.

William Petit, who sustained serious head injuries, managed to get up the stairs from the basement and outside the burning home. See photos of how police say the crime unfolded »

Autopsies revealed that Hawke-Petit was strangled and the two girls died of smoke inhalation.

The suspects reportedly noticed Hawke-Petit and one of her daughters Sunday at a local store and followed them home.

"They were attracted to the car," Glen Petit, the brother of Dr. William Petit, told The Associated Press. "They liked the car, followed her home, thought she lived in a nice house."

Hayes is charged with six counts of capital felony; six counts of kidnapping; and one count each of burglary in the first degree, robbery in the first degree, larceny in the first degree, aggravated sexual assault in the first degree, arson in the first degree, conspiracy to commit arson in the first degree, risk of injury to a minor and assault in the first degree.

Komisarjevsky faces the same charges with an additional count of risk of injury to a minor.

Both are being held by the Connecticut Department of Correction on $15 million bail and are next scheduled to appear August 7 in New Haven District Superior Court. E-mail to a friend

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