East Hartford Police Charge 77-Year-Old Man with the Stabbing Death of 21-Year-Old Janet Couture
After more than five decades, the East Hartford Police Department has announced a major breakthrough in a 52-year-old cold case homicide, arresting 77-year-old George Legere for the brutal murder of Janet Couture in October 1973.
The arrest on September 24, 2025, charges Legere with murder for the killing of Couture, who was just 21 years old when she was found stabbed to death in her Cannon Road home on October 13, 1973.
According to the police, Couture was home alone when Legere allegedly entered the residence through a window before committing the heinous crime that shocked the community and has remained under investigation for over half a century.
East Hartford detectives have dedicated themselves to re-examining evidence and following leads over the last 53 years. A significant breakthrough came in 2021 when the Avon Police Department arrested Legere in connection with a separate 1984 cold case involving the kidnapping of a woman. While Legere had been an early suspect in Couture’s murder, investigators at the time did not have sufficient evidence to press charges.
The 2021 arrest by Avon Police proved crucial, assisting East Hartford investigators in uncovering additional closed cases dating back to the 1960s involving Legere assaulting women. These cases, which revealed disturbing similarities to Couture’s murder, ultimately led to the development of new evidence supporting the murder charge.
An arrest warrant was issued on September 19, 2025, and East Hartford detectives formally arrested Legere on September 24, 2025, at the MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution, where he is currently serving a 25-year sentence stemming from his 2021 conviction in the Avon case.
This arrest is a significant step toward justice for Janet Couture and her family, who have waited 52 years for closure.
“Bringing closure to victims’ families is a top priority for our team of detectives,” said East Hartford Police Chief Mack S. Hawkins. “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.”
The East Hartford Police Department expressed its gratitude to the Connecticut Department of Corrections, the Hartford States Attorneys Office, and the State of Connecticut Cold Case Unit for their assistance in the investigation.
Police are urging anyone with further information regarding this case to contact Detective Christina Johnston at 860-291-7526, the EHPD confidential tip line at 860-289-9134, or the Connecticut Cold Case Unit at 1-866-623-8058.
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