Jesse Timmendequas

In 1979, Timmendequas had pled guilty to the attempted aggravated sexual assault[?] of a 5-year-old girl in Piscataway, New Jersey[?]. He was given a suspended sentence, but, failing to go to counseling, he spent 9 months at the Middlesex Adult Correctional Center[?]. In 1981, he pled guilty in regards to the sexual assault of a 7-year-old girl and was imprisoned, at Avenel[?], for 6 years.

Conviction

Evidence including blood stains, hair, and fiber samples, found outside Timmendequas' home, as well as a bite mark matching Kanka's teeth, on Timmendequas' hand, let to Timmendequas being found guilty of kidnapping, four counts of aggravated sexual assault[?] and two counts of felony murder[?]. Prosecutors argued that Timmendequas lured the girl into his house, across the street from hers, offering to show her a puppy. After raping her, he strangled her with a belt. A day later, he had led police to the body in a nearby county park.

Republican Representative Dick Zimmer[?] stated, "I believe he is exactly the kind of predator that the legislature had in mind when it enacted the death penalty."

Defense

Timmendequas' defense maintained he was coerced, by police, into confessing. The defense further argued that Timmendequas' roommates, also convicted sex offenders, were involved in the slaying. The three men had met at the Avenel Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center[?].