On the fateful day of July 22, 1977, the quiet town of Prospect, Connecticut, becomes the backdrop for an unthinkable horror. Lorne J. Acquin, driven by motives yet to be fully understood, unleashes a wave of violence that will scar the community forever. In a single night, he bludgeons to death Cheryl Beaudoin, her seven children, and a niece, each life extinguished in a brutal frenzy. The scene is further marred by Acquin’s chilling decision to set the house ablaze, a desperate attempt to erase the evidence of his monstrous act.
As the fire consumes the family home, neighbors and first responders are drawn to the inferno, unaware of the grim discovery that awaits them. The sheer scale of the tragedy is unfathomable, marking it as Connecticut’s second-worst mass murder. The community, once serene, is now shrouded in grief and disbelief, struggling to comprehend the magnitude of their loss.
The aftermath of this heinous crime ripples through the state, prompting changes in how such tragedies are addressed. The legacy of the Prospect Massacre endures, a haunting reminder of the depths of human depravity and the resilience of those left behind.
Story Source: Article titled “Man whose family was killed in 2nd-worst mass murder in CT dies at 80” (CT Insider)
