Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
Man arrested in 1973 Conn. murder of young woman
George Legere, 77, was arrested in prison on a warrant for the murder of 21-year-old Janet Couture, who was murdered in her home Oct. 13, 1972.
A cold case homicide of a 21-year-old woman was closed 52 years later with the arrest of a Connecticut man Wednesday, police said Thursday.
George Legere, 77, was arrested in prison on a warrant for the murder of Janet Couture, who was murdered in her home Oct. 13, 1972, the East Hartford Police Department said in a statement.
Legere allegedly climbed through Couture’s window when she was home alone at her residence on Canon Road and stabbed her to death, according to the department.
Legere was a suspect in Couture’s murder, but inadequate evidence at the time prevented charges, police said.
Advertisement:
A major development in the case came in 2021, according to police, when Legere was arrested in Avon, Connecticut for kidnapping a woman in a separate 1984 cold case.
Legere’s arrest pointed East Hartford investigators toward uncovering additional cold cases dating back to the 1960s involving Legere assaulting women, revealing unsettling parallels to Couture’s murder, the department said.
Legere, who is currently serving a 25-year sentence for his 2021 arrest, was arrested at MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution Wednesday, police said.
“Bringing closure to victims’ families is a top priority for our team of detectives,” said East Hartford Police Chief Mack S. Hawkins. “We are committed to pursuing justice in every case, no matter how much time has passed. For the Couture family, this is especially significant, and we hope it brings them some measure of peace.”
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com