Press Releases
03/17/2022
Jury Convicts Robert Honsch of the Murder of his Daughter
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(New Britain, CT) - Brian W. Preleski, New Britain State’s Attorney, today announced that Robert Honsch was found guilty by a jury on March 17, 2022, of Murder in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53-54a.The trial in the Superior Court of New Britain was presided over by the Honorable Laura F. Baldini.
Honsch’s conviction stems from the shooting death of his daughter, Elizabeth Honsch. In September 1995, an unidentified female was found shot in the head and wrapped in sleeping bags and garbage bags in a parking lot in New Britain. Several days later, an unidentified female was found shot in the head in the Tolland State Forest in Massachusetts. A tireless effort to identify the two individuals proved to be fruitless until a break in the case in 2014.
Evidence was produced that subsequently led to the identification of the New Britain victim as Elizabeth Honsch, daughter of Robert Honsch, and Marcia Honsch, Honsch's wife.
Robert Honsch was later found in Ohio remarried with children and living under the name of Robert Tyree. Evidence established that shortly after the murder, Honsch went to the homes of family members and told them that Marcia and Elizabeth had gone to Australia ahead of him and he would be following them due to a job transfer. Shortly thereafter, Robert Honsch fled to South Africa and came back to the United States years later. DNA and fingerprint evidence linked Honsch to the murder of Elizabeth Honsch in New Britain.
Sentencing is scheduled before Judge Baldini on June 15, 2022.
State’s Attorney Preleski wishes to extend his gratitude for the extensive investigation efforts of the New Britain Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, New York State Police and the Department of Public Safety Division of Scientific Services who tirelessly pursued this case. This matter was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Christian M. Watson and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Christopher A. Griffin.