Transcription
[music] >> On a summer afternoon in River Falls, St. Croix County, Wisconsin, in July 2012, a text message sent into motion a series of events that would devastate a family and a community. The message came from Aaron Schaffhausen, a 35-year-old father of three who had been living apart from his daughters since his divorce. He asked his ex-wife, Jessica, if he could visit their children. It was an ordinary request on the surface, but within hours, it became the prelude to one of the most shocking crimes in Wisconsin's recent history: the murders of 11-year-old Amara Rose, 8-year-old Sophie Marie, and 5-year-old Cecilia Lee.
Aaron and Jessica married in 2000. Their relationship produced three daughters who, by all accounts, were deeply loved by both parents. Amara was an avid member of the Girl Scouts and junior soccer team, who loved science and baking. Sophie, who was also a Girl Scout, was a yellow belt in Kukido and was a budding artist who loved climbing trees and rollerblading. The youngest of the sisters, Cecilia, also enjoyed art and music and was curious about nature and insects.
Behind the surface of family life, cracks were widening between Aaron and Jessica. Aaron struggled with depression, heavy drinking, and long bouts of playing video games, which Jessica described as obsessive and isolating. His mood deteriorated further in the years leading up to their divorce. By 2011, Jessica had reached a breaking point. She demanded he make changes to his behavior or she would file for divorce. That August, the couple began the legal process of separation, and by January of 2012, the divorce was finalized. Jessica was granted primary physical custody of the girls, and the family home in River Falls was rented from Aaron himself, who had moved to Minot, North Dakota, for construction work. Custody was joint, but his visits with the children became somewhat infrequent.
Co-workers noticed Aaron's simmering anger and instability. He drank heavily and occasionally spoke of killing his family, at times mentioning offing his daughters or harming the man Jessica was rumored to be dating. The bitterness over the divorce seemed to consume him.
On the morning of July the 10th, 2012, Aaron texted Jessica to ask if he could see Amara, Cecilia, and Sophie. The request came on short notice, but Jessica agreed, stipulating that he needed to leave before she returned from work. She did not want to see him herself. Jessica's trust was influenced by the girls' longing for their father. They missed him terribly and cherished the rare times they spent together.
That afternoon, a babysitter welcomed Aaron into the River Falls home. Amara, Sophie, and Cecilia rushed to him excitedly, eager to show him their rooms and their belongings. Believing the visit to be safe, the babysitter left. What happened in the hours that followed was nothing short of brutal. Armed with a knife he had brought from North Dakota, Aaron slit the throats of all three of his daughters. He also strangled his youngest, Cecilia. He then laid them in their beds, [music] covering their necks with spare t-shirts. Before leaving, he spilled gasoline in the basement, suggesting an intent to set the home ablaze.
At approximately 3:30 p.m., Jessica's phone rang. On the line was Aaron. His words were chilling and unforgettable. "You can come now. >> [music] >> I killed the kids." Initially, [music] Jessica thought it was a sick joke. When she realized he was serious, she immediately called 911 and rushed to the police station, begging officers to check on her three daughters, praying they might still be alive. However, by the time officers entered the home, all three girls were deceased. An hour later, Aaron drove to the River Falls Police Department and turned himself in. [music] His clothing was stained with blood. Tests later confirmed that the blood matched his daughters.
Police quickly charged Aaron with three [music] counts of first-degree intentional homicide and one count of attempted arson. He was held on a $2 million bond. In interviews, he remained largely silent, though at times he did break down in tears. In one interrogation video, he lamented, "I want my girls back. I want a lot of things. Can you give them to me?"
The community of River Falls reeled. Vigils were held. White ribbons were tied at Greenwood Elementary School, where Amara and Sophie had been students, and support poured in for Jessica, who had lost her entire family in just a single afternoon. Schaffhausen's trial began in early 2013. He entered a plea of guilty but insane, admitting to the killings but insisting he was not in control of his actions due to mental illness. His attorneys described him as deeply depressed, [music] obsessed with his ex-wife, and suffering a psychotic break during the murders. Prosecutors, however, argued that Aaron's crimes were calculated acts of revenge. >> [music] >> Assistant Attorney General Gary Freiberg told jurors that Aaron was consumed by jealousy and anger towards Jessica, particularly because she was beginning to move on romantically. "Help was available if he wanted it," Frieburg said. "He didn't want help. He wanted revenge. He was so angry and so bitter that he decided to punish her in a way that he calculated would cause her the most harm possible." The timing itself, prosecutors noted, was telling. The murders occurred just after the 6-month waiting period following the divorce that allowed Jessica to remarry. Evidence also showed that Aaron had made chilling threats before. Months earlier, he had told Jessica he wanted to tie her up and force her to choose which child he would kill in front of her.
Three psychiatrists evaluated Aaron. One believed he was legally insane. Two others testified he knew what he was doing was wrong. The jury deliberated for 3 and 1/2 hours before reaching a verdict: Aaron Hernandez was sane at the time of the murders. On April 23rd of 2013, Judge Howard Cameron sentenced Aaron to three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. He also imposed restitution of more than $14,000 to Jessica plus $10,000 in witness costs. To enforce this, 1/4 of any money sent to Aaron by family or earned in prison would be garnished and redirected to Jessica.
Jessica attended the hearings. Her grief visible as she testified about the harrowing phone call and her daughters' love for their father. "They loved him so much," she said through tears. The tragedy was compounded by her belief that maintaining a relationship with their father had been important for the girls, despite the risks.
The murders left an indelible mark on River Falls. On July 17th of 2012, hundreds gathered at Kilkarney Hills Golf Club for the girls' funeral before being laid to rest in Greenwood Cemetery. The sorrow was profound, but the community resolved to honor the memory of Amara, Sophie, and Cecilia in lasting ways. Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union acquired the house where the murders occurred. Instead of reselling it, the building was dismantled with materials donated to St. Croix Habitat for Humanity. The proceeds from the land helped fund a new park in Hoffman Park.
The Shafer housing case resonated far beyond River Falls because it exposed chilling themes: the intersection of domestic turmoil, mental health struggles, and lethal revenge. It demonstrated how custody battles and unresolved anger can erupt into catastrophic violence. Prosecutors made clear that the murders were not random acts of madness, but a deliberate attempt to maximize Jessica's suffering. Aaron himself admitted as much. He wanted her to live with the agony of losing her children, the ultimate form of punishment for any parent. For many, the case underscored the need for vigilance in situations where threats of violence are made during separations and divorces. Jessica had heard threats before, but believed Aaron's depression was improving. In court, she testified that she thought it was important for the girls to have a relationship with their father despite his past outbursts. That belief, born out of love for her daughters, was manipulated by Aaron in his final act of cruelty.
10 years after the murders, Jessica Peterson shared her story in the 2022 memoir *Thistles and Thorns*. In it, she recalls the last morning with her daughters, the letters she wrote to them afterwards, and her struggle to move forward. "The darkest moment in my life is when I lost them. Each step I take from there is trying to bring more light into the world to fill what was lost." Peterson emphasizes remembering Amara, Sophie, and Cecilia for how they lived, their joy, curiosity, and creativity, rather than for the violence of their deaths.
That vision comes to life at the Tri Angels Playground in Hoffman Park, built with community support in 2015. Each section reflects one of the girls: Amara's science and football-themed play structures, Sophie's outdoors and fashion-inspired features, and Cecilia's insect motifs and climbing equipment. The playground itself also includes the girls' own artwork, making it both a memorial and a place of joy. Now remarried and raising two more children, Trinity and Flint, Peterson often visits the park, which sits within sight of her daughters' graves. Watching her younger children play there has been, she says, a crucial part of her healing. "I have love. I have support. I hope I can help others as they face their own tragedies. Know that it is possible to survive that."
The murders of Amara, Sophie, and Cecilia remain one of Wisconsin's most haunting crimes. The facts are stark. A father, fueled by resentment and despair, chose to kill his own flesh and blood as an act of revenge against his former spouse. The jury's verdict, that he was sane and responsible for his actions, ensured that he would never walk free again. Jessica continues her journey forward, carrying both unbearable grief and the resilience to live on in memory of her three daughters, whose lives were tragically cut short in one of the worst ways imaginable. May the memories of all three girls, Amara, Sophie, and Cecilia, never be forgotten. >> Mhm.