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Check this out : 'My father went outside and he killed her': Heartbreaking confession of little boy who watched his mother die.
Ja'kai Hayden, now ten, witnessed his mother's murder at his home in New Gloucester, Maine His father Joel Hayden shot Renee Sandora at point-blank range as she stood unarmed in the driveway of her home.
Hayden is now serving two life sentences for murder Miss Sandora's twin sister Rhonda Estes, from Maine, speaks about the harrowing ordeal A young boy was forced to relive the terrifying moment his mother was shot in the head in front of him by his own father, when he appeared to testify in court.
Ja'kai Hayden, now 10, witnessed his mother, Renee Sandora, being killed by his father, Joel Hayden, at point blank range in the driveway of their home in New Gloucester, Maine, in 2011.
Hayden shot his partner, then 27, after accusing her of cheating on him with her childhood friend, Trevor Mills, whom he then also murdered.+12Joel Hayden shot Renee Sandora at point-blank range in the head, as she stood unarmed in their driveway+12Ja'kai Hayden (right), now ten, with his younger brother Javanni witnessed the murder and testified against his fatherSpeaking of the boy's harrowing testimony, Miss Sandora's twin sister, Rhonda Estes, from Maine, said:
'My brave little nephew, Ja'kai, had to stand up and tell the court how he'd watched his father kill his mother.'After what Ja'kai had been through, I couldn't believe his father was putting him through even more by pleading not guilty. My heart broke for him. Hayden is now serving two life sentences for murder after shooting both Miss Sandora and Mr Mills.
Appearing in court, he showed no remorse for what he had done.Miss Estes said: 'I pray what he saw doesn't haunt him.'+12Renee Sandora was 27 when she was murdered+12Miss Sandora (left) with her twin sister, Rhonda Estes, from Maine, who has spoken about her nephew's court testimony+12Pictured left to right, Miss Sandora, her grandmother Barbara holding a young Ja'kai and Miss Sandora's mother, Pat GerberMiss Estes, who shared a strong likeness with her twin, said: '
My sister and I weren't identical but when I look in the mirror now, all I see is her.'She should still be here, doting on her children.'Miss Estes recalls how she and her twin sister were inseparable as children.They loved going swimming and at school they had refused to be put in different classes.
Miss Sandora stood up for her sister, Rhonda, when she was bullied in the playground.Miss Estes said: 'Renee was born before me so it was only natural she would become the protective one.'
Then when they were 17, Miss Sandora met and fell in love with Joel Hayden, who was three years older than them.Miss Estes said: 'He was totally smitten with my sister and swept her off her feet, buying her flowers and cute stuffed animals.'I thought he was great, too. He was really funny.'+12Murdered Miss Sandora (left) with her twin sister, Miss Estes, who said: '
My brave little nephew, Ja'kai, had to stand up and tell the court how he'd watched his father kill his mother'A year on, Miss Sandora moved away from her hometown in Maine where she lived with her sister, mother, Pat Gerber and stepfather, Mark, to Alabama.
She and Hayden split up but on Miss Sandora's return home 12 months later, they couple soon picked up their romance.Within months, Miss Sandora was pregnant, and in 2004, she gave birth to the couple's son, Ja'kai.In time Miss Estes met someone, fell pregnant too, and moved away to Boston. But the twins stayed in touch.
Miss Estes said: 'Now I needed my twin more than ever and she promised me she was there if I needed advice.'
After my son Jamil was born, Renee and Mother would often drive the two hours from Maine to see us.'Renee seemed to be the only person who could get Jamil to nap and as they got older, our boys were always playing together.'+12Miss Sandora's children (left to right): Julissa, Javanni, Ja'kai and Julissa's twin JiselleBut Miss Sandora's partner didn't trust her when she was away from home.Miss Estes said: '
He had become possessive and jealous for no reason and would call her non-stop when they weren't together.''Despite this, Renee was devoted to him.'Miss Estes added: 'As the years went by though, their arguments got worse and worse and sometimes Renee would have scratches on her face.'Other times there would be plates and mugs smashed in the kitchen. But Renee always denied that Joel hurt her.'
He was often in trouble with the police, in and out of rehab and prison.'Yet he always came back to Renee, controlling and manipulating her.'Hayden's best friend, Trevor Mills, supported him, too. He tried to get him back on the straight and narrow.+12Joel Hayden (right) shot his partner after accusing her of cheating on him with her childhood friend, Trevor Mills (left), whom he then also murderedOver the years, the sisters had more children.
In 2007, Miss Estes had a daughter, Jaswin, and two years later, Miss Sandora and Hayden had another son, Javanni.That's when Miss Sandora admitted to her sister how Hayden behaved behind closed doors.Miss Estes said: 'Renee told me that Joel hit her and regularly accused her of cheating, but she said she never would.'I was so worried about her.
Now I had to be the protective sister.'I told her to leave him. But she wouldn't do it because of the kids. She said he would never hurt them.'I was polite to Joel for my sister's sake but it was torture seeing my beautiful sister try and make it work with him.'I thought she deserved so much better but we couldn't force her to leave.
She had to make that decision for herself.'Then in July 2011, three months after Miss Sandora had given birth to twin girls Julissa and Jiselle, she and her sister took their children to their mother Pat's house.Miss Estes said: 'We spent the weekend laughing and swimming in the lake.'If I had known it was going to be the last time I'd see her when we said goodbye, I would never have let her go.'
A week later, on 24 July 2011, Miss Sandora phoned her sister to tell her she was finally ready to leave Hayden for good.+12The girls: Pat Gerber (left) with her twin daughters, Rhonda Estes (centre) and Renee Sandora (right)She told Miss Estes that he had accused her of cheating again and she'd had enough of the accusations.
Miss Estes felt relieved but the next day one of her friends rang her to say there had been a shooting at Miss Sandora's home, in New Gloucester, Maine.Miss Estes raced round to her mother's house, which was moments from Miss Sandora's home, and found her crying and knew in that instant her sister was dead.Miss Estes said: 'Mother said she'd seen my sister's body being dragged across the lawn.
'The police confirmed that Hayden had gone on the run.At Central Maine Medical Centre, doctors told Miss Estes and her mother that Miss Sandora was stable but could not breathe on her own.Miss Estes said: 'My sister had been shot in the head and the bullet had come out through her pallet.'Worse still, her son, Ja'kai, had seen the whole thing.
'She stayed by her sister's side through the night, hoping Miss Sandora would pull through.But her family was told she'd had a stroke and there was nothing doctors could do for her.
Miss Estes said: 'My beautiful sister was gone. At only 27, a mother of four gorgeous kids.'The pain of losing my twin was unbearable.
'Hayden's friend, Trevor Mills, who had been shot four times, died from his injuries that same day, and Hayden was arrested for the two murders.Miss Estes said: 'All we could do for the next 18 months was wait to get justice for Renee and Trevor.'
Then in January 2013, Joel Hayden, of New Bedford, Massachusetts, appeared at Cumberland County Unified Criminal Court.+12Trevor Mills (left) who was murdered by his 'friend' Joel Hayden (right) in 2011He pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder.
The court heard that Miss Sandora had tried to kick Hayden out but he had refused to leave the family home.His friend, Trevor Mills, had come to keep the peace and help him move out, but Hayden had not been happy.Prosecutors said Hayden had thought his former girlfriend had been having an affair with Mr Mills.
So he shot Miss Sandora at point-blank range in the head, as she stood unarmed in the driveway of her home with Ja'kai in the garden.
During the trial the court was played the heart-breaking recording of the 911 call Miss Sandora had made at 6.41pm, after she had been shot.She had said: 'My boyfriend just shot me.
I am at Bennett Road. He shot his friend too. I've got four kids.'After a pause, she continued: 'What? Are you going to shoot me in front of my kids?'Miss Estes said: 'Hearing her so scared made me sick to my stomach.'Neighbours had heard Ja'kai shout, "Fatherdy, don't shoot".'
Then once Hayden had run off, they heard him say, "Fatherdy, don't leave".'Having pleading not guilty, Hayden's son, Ja'kai, had to testify in court.He said he saw his father kill his mother and Mr Mills 'go through the glass' in the door of Miss Sandora's home.He then said his father 'went outside and he shot my mother'.
After Ja'kai was finished, Hayden called out to his son, 'Fatherdy loves you'.+12Miss Sandora's children Ja'kai (left), who testified against his father and Javanni (right), who is too young to remember the ordealAssistant Attorney General Lisa Marchese, who has been a prosecutor since the 1980s and called Ja'kai to the stand, said:
'Ja'kai is the youngest child I have ever put on as a witness.'She said that in her experience it was uncommon to call on a child to testify at a trial.In March 2014, at Cumberland County Courthouse in Portland, Hayden was found guilty of two counts of murder and given two life sentences, without parole.
It was revealed he also had 16 prior criminal convictions.Following the conviction, Hayden applied for access to his children from prison, saying that he had not 'physically harmed' Ja'kai, who is now 10.
Last month he was refused access by the Supreme Judicial Court.Miss Estes said: 'Ja'kai had to have counselling but he's doing well.'Renee's other three children were really too young to understand what had happened.'
Her daughters won't even remember her. But my kids are always speaking about their aunt.'As for me, losing my twin has left a hole that can never be filled.'But I'm determined to keep her memory alive and do my best to make her proud.'Miss Sandora's mother, Mrs Gerber, and stepfather, Mark Gerber, took in Sandora's four children after her death.
They have since been raising them like their own.Mrs Gerber said: 'Ja'kai is an amazing little boy. Giving evidence in court was terrifying for him.'
He kept saying he was worried his father would be able to hurt his brother and sisters or us too.'I can't describe the pain that Joel Hayden has caused my family.'It was the hardest day of my life telling the kids their mother had gone to heaven.'
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