Murder of Megan Kanka

Murder of Megan Kanka
Megan Kanka
Location	Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey, U.S.
Date	July 29, 1994; 29 years ago (1994-07-29)
Attack type	Child murder by ligature strangulation, child rape, child abduction
Victim	Megan Nicole Kanka, aged 7
Perpetrator	Jesse K. Timmendequas
Motive	Pedophilia
Verdict	Guilty on all counts
Convictions	First-degree murder Felony murder (2 counts)   First-degree kidnapping First-degree aggravated sexual assault (4 counts)
Sentence	Death (1997) Commuted to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole (2007)

The murder of Megan Nicole Kanka (December 7, 1986 – July 29, 1994) occurred in Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. Seven-year-old Megan Kanka was raped and murdered by her neighbor, Jesse Timmendequas, after he lured her into his house; Timmendequas had previously been convicted of child molestation. The murder attracted national attention and subsequently led to the introduction of "Megan's Law", which requires law enforcement to disclose details relating to the location of registered sex offenders.

In 1997, Timmendequas was convicted of Kanka's murder. He was initially sentenced to death, but his sentence was commuted to life without parole after New Jersey abolished capital punishment in 2007.