MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Convicted killer Aaron Schauffhausen is now in prison serving three life sentences for the murder of his daughters.
A new mug of Schaffhausen was taken last Wednesday as he entered the state prison system. He was sentenced last Monday to the three life sentences, without a chance for parole.
Schaffhausen, 35, had admitted he killed 11-year-old Amara, 8-year-old Sophie and 5-year-old Cecilia at their River Falls home in July 2012 to hurt his ex-wife, but argued he had a mental defect that kept him from knowing it was wrong.
A jury disagreed and found last April that he was sane when he slit the girls’ throats, tucked them into bed, then tried to set the house on fire to cover his crime.
He faced mandatory life sentences for each girl’s death, but Schaffhausen had the prospect of supervised release after at least 20 years in prison. That was rejected by St. Croix County Circuit Judge Howard Cameron, who called the crime “vicious.”
Meanwhile family, friends and community members of River Falls, Wis. focused on honoring the Schaffhausen girls.
More than 1,300 people took part in a 5K run at Hoffman Park on Saturday. The race raised nearly $50,000 to help with a proposed playground in the girls’ memory.
