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Colerain man pleads guilty in 2 sisters' deaths

Shooting also left sisters' friend wounded
Posted at 10:26 AM, Feb 22, 2017
and last updated 2017-02-22 10:29:32-05

CINCINNATI -- A 23-year-old man pleaded guilty Wednesday morning to fatally shooting his two sisters and wounding their friend more than a year ago at their Colerain Township home.

Matthew Hayden entered guilty pleas to two counts of aggravated murder and one count of attempted aggravated murder. He's scheduled for sentencing March 28.

Police said he sprayed a van with bullets while his sisters -- 16-year-old Sarah Hayden and 17-year-old Elizabeth Hayden -- sat inside with their friend Joshua Hacker in October 2015.

Elizabeth and Sarah Hayden

Matthew's sisters died in the attack. Joshua, then 17, survived but was left with his jaw wired shut and bullet wounds across his body.

Less than a month after the killings, Judge Robert Winkler found Matthew incompetent to stand trial and ordered he be sent to Summit Behavioral Healthcare to restore his competency.

The shooting was reported at about 2:45 a.m. Oct. 21, 2015 in the 3400 block of Banning Road. When police arrived, Matthew met them at the door -- his gun tucked in his waistband -- ready to be taken into custody, authorities said.

During Matthew's court arraignment in the days after the killings, Judge Josh Berkowitz said the 22-year-old "lit up" the family van with a Beretta 9mm handgun.

Berkowitz described the police account of the shooting and said: "It shocks the conscience. It is disturbing, to say the least."

WCPO will update this developing story.