NEW HAVEN, Conn. — The two Connecticut men charged with killing a woman and her two daughters in a 2007 home invasion exchanged text messages hours before the crime in which one said he had to put his own child to bed, an investigator testified Thursday.

State police investigator John Farnham testified at the trial of Steven Hayes that Hayes and Joshua Komisarjevsky, texted each other the evening of July 22, hours before the attacks in Cheshire.

Farnham said Hayes messaged Komisarjevsky that he was "chomping at the bit to get started." Komisarjevsky responded: "Putting kid to bed. Hold your horses." Komisarjevsky has a young daughter.

Prosecutors say Komisarjevsky spotted Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her daughters at a supermarket on July 22 and followed them home, then returned with Hayes early the next day to rob the family. Komisarjevsky is awaiting trial.

Hawke-Petit attended elementary school in Slippery Rock. Her parents, the Rev. Richard and Marybelle Hawke, still live in Slippery Rock.

Hayes and Komisarjevsky, two paroled burglars, are accused of beating and tying up Dr. William Petit, taking his family hostage and forcing his wife to withdraw money from a bank.

Hayes, 47, is accused of sexually assaulting and strangling Hawke-Petit. Komisarjevsky, 30, is charged with sexually assaulting 11-year-old Michaela. The two allegedly tied Michaela and her 17-year-old sister, Hayley, to their beds, poured gasoline in the house and set it on fire, killing the girls, authorities say.

Dr. Petit managed to escape.

Hayes and Komisarjevsky fled the burning home in the family's car and were caught after ramming several police cruisers, authorities said.

Connecticut's medical examiner, Wayne Carver, testified Thursday that Hayley was burned as she tried to flee, despite being tied up.

She died from smoke inhalation, he said.

Carver testified Wednesday that Michaela died from breathing smoke.

Hayes and Komisarjevsky have blamed each other for escalating the crimes.

As the trial resumed Thursday, the judge said prosecutors expect to conclude their case early next week. The two men face the possibility of the death penalty if convicted.