Man, 77, accused of kidnapping a woman and allegedly killing another in 2 separate cold cases

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (TCN) — Police recently arrested a 77-year-old man in connection with the stabbing death of a 21-year-old woman that occurred over five decades ago.

According to the East Hartford Police Department, Janet Couture was found stabbed to death in her home on Oct. 13, 1973. Despite investigators’ efforts, the case remained cold for decades.

A break came in 2021 when the Avon Police Department arrested 77-year-old George Legere for allegedly kidnapping a woman in a separate cold case from 1984. Police said Legere had been an early suspect in Couture’s death, but there wasn’t enough evidence to file charges.

Legere’s arrest reportedly led police to find “additional closed cases dating back to the 1960s involving Legere assaulting women, revealing disturbing similarities” to the victim’s alleged stabbing.

Police allege Legere entered Couture’s home through a window and fatally stabbed her. He was arrested on Sept. 24 at MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution, where he is serving a 25-year sentence from his 2021 arrest.

In a statement, East Hartford Police Chief Mack Hawkins said, “Bringing closure to victims’ families is a top priority for our team of detectives. We are committed to pursuing justice in every case, no matter how much time has passed. For the Couture family, this is especially significant, and we hope it brings them some measure of peace.”

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