March

Bowdoinham: On Saturday, March 21, 2026, at approximately 2:27 PM the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Maine State Police Bomb Squad after they responded to a complaint of an individual who found a possible mortar round on their property on White Road in Bowdoinham. MSP Bomb Technicians Wing and Pescitelli arrived on scene and identified the item as an 81MM M374 mortar round. X-ray analyses showed indicators of the item being potentially hazardous. The round was removed from the residence to be rendered safe in a secure location.

Winslow: On Saturday, March 21, 2026, at approximately 3:36 PM, the Winslow Fire and Police Department responded to a residence on Main Street for a report of a hand grenade that was located while the complainant was cleaning out the residence. First responders requested the Maine State Police Bomb Squad and Technician Pina responded to the scene. The grenade was identified as a live standard MK2 hand grenade from the WWII or Korean War era. The grenade was removed from the residence and will be rendered safe in a secure location.

On Friday, March 20, 2026, at approximately 1:26 AM, the Lewiston-Auburn Communications Center received a 911 call reporting a shooting on Union Street in Lewiston. Lewiston Police responded to the scene and requested assistance from the Maine State Police. Upon arrival, officers located a female suffering from a gunshot wound.

The victim, identified as 22-year-old Maliyah Powell of Lewiston, was transported to Central Maine Medical Center, where she later succumbed to her injuries. The deceased was transported to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta, where an autopsy was performed. The cause of death was determined to be a gunshot wound and the manner of death homicide.  Detectives from the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit South, along with Evidence Response Technicians, processed the scene throughout the morning.

As a result of the investigation 25-year-old Elise Bergeron of Lewiston, was arrested and charged with Murder. She was transported to the Androscoggin County Jail. The investigation is being conducted by the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit South, with assistance from the Lewiston Police Department.

This remains an active and ongoing investigation. Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Maine State Police at 207.624.7076 option 9.

On Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at approximately 2:14 PM, the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit-Central arrested 30-year-old Edward Longley of Skowhegan in Skowhegan.

Longley has been charged with Murder and Elevated Aggravated Assault in connection with a shooting that occurred on February 2, 2026, on Flagg Street in Augusta. As a result of the incident, 51-year-old Billyjack Curtis of Augusta died from the injuries he sustained. An autopsy was conducted at the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta, which determined the cause of death to be gunshot wounds and the manner of death homicide.

A second victim, 40-year-old Sherry Gilley of Brunswick, was also injured during the shooting. She was initially transported to MaineGeneral in Augusta and later transferred to Maine Medical Center in Portland. She was released and is currently recovering from her injuries.

Longley was transported to the Somerset County Jail where he is being held without bail. No further details will be released at this time.

On Monday, March 16, 2026, at approximately 5:30 PM the Augusta Regional Communications Center received a report from an individual near the Number 1 Road in Limington who stated they had found what they believed to be a grenade near a dumpster along the roadway. Troopers from the Southern Field Troop responded and identified the object as a potentially hazardous device and requested the assistance of the Maine State Police Bomb Squad.

Technicians responded to the scene and attempted to X-ray the item; however, they were unable to determine the exact status of the energetic material inside. Out of an abundance of caution, the item was countercharged on site and deemed safe.

A photo of the item is attached. The device closely resembles a military-style M67 hand grenade, though it appeared to have been altered.

On Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at approximately 5:38 AM, the Maine State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash on I-95 in Waterville.

Preliminary details of the scene indicate a vehicle driven by 41-year-old Raymond Fenderson of Brunswick, was merging onto I-95 northbound off of the mile marker 130 on ramp from Waterville when Fenderson collided with a motorist who was traveling northbound on I-95. Fenderson’s vehicle crashed head-on into the guardrail on the median side and Fenderson became entrapped in the vehicle. Crews from Waterville-Fire and Rescue responded and worked to extricate Fenderson from the vehicle, ultimately freeing him after approximately 30 minutes.

Raymond sustained serious injuries that are considered non-life threatening and was transported by Waterville Fire to a local hospital. No other injuries were reported.

The preliminary investigation indicates impairment is a likely factor. The crash remains under investigation. The passing lane on I-95 was shut down for the duration of time it took emergency responders to remove Raymond and clear the wreckage from the roadway.

The Maine State Police was assisted by the Waterville Fire Department and Dostie’s Towing.

On Sunday, March 8, 2026, at approximately 07:30 PM, the Franklin County Regional Communications Center received a 911 call reporting the shooting of 23-year-old Makayla Rose Desantis of Colchester, Connecticut. First responders transported Makayla to MaineHealth Franklin Hospital in Farmington prior to her eventual transport to Maine Medical Center in Portland where she succumbed to her injuries. Investigators learned that Makayla sustained her injuries at a residence on Left Bank in Carrabassett Valley.

On the evening of March 9, 2026, 24-year-old Austin Doucette of Carrabassett Valley was arrested and charged with the murder of Makayla Rose Desantis.

This investigation was conducted by the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit and was assisted by the Carrabassett Valley Police Department and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.  

The investigation is ongoing. Additional information will be released when it’s appropriate to do so.

On Sunday, May 14, 2023, the Windham Police Department investigated a report of a missing person from their town. The family of 34-year-old Alex Jackson of Windham reported him missing with no contact since Friday, May 12, 2023, which was atypical behavior for him. Investigators with the Maine State Police, Windham Police Department, Lewiston Police Department, Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office, and the New Hampshire State Police worked to develop leads over the following ten months. On Friday, March 29, 2024, an arrest warrant was obtained for 30-year-old Joseph Chute of Leeds on the charge of murder. Chute was arrested Friday evening without incident and transported to the Androscoggin County Jail where he is being held without bail. The body of Jackson has not been recovered at this time. Chute will make his initial appearance in Androscoggin County Superior Court on Monday, April 1, 2024. 

*Please contact the Androscoggin County Jail for a booking photo.

*No other information is available at this time.

On Monday, March 25, 2024, at approximately 6:30 PM, the Maine State Police were requested to respond to the South Strong Road in Farmington to investigate a serious personal injury crash that occurred during a motor vehicle pursuit. As Troopers were responding to the call, the driver of the vehicle, later identified as 32-year-old Joshua Burdin of Strong was pronounced dead at the scene. 

The incident unfolded at approximately 4:59 pm when Deputies from the Franklin County Sheriff's Office were called to a residence in the town of Strong to investigate a sexual assault of a child.  Burdin was immediately identified as the suspect and had fled the residence before officers arrived on scene. 

At approximately 6:11 PM, a Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy located Burdin driving a 2006 Subaru Impreza in Strong and attempted to make a traffic stop.  Burdin failed to stop, leading Deputies on a low-speed pursuit through Strong and into Farmington on the South Strong Road where Officers with the Farmington Police Department were able to successfully deploy spike strips.  After the Subaru’s front tires were spiked, Burdin accelerated at a high rate of speed on the South Strong Road and struck a tree head-on.

The deceased was transported to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta where an autopsy will be performed. The crash remains under investigation.

On Monday, March 25, 2024, at approximately 7:00 AM, the Maine State Police responded to a residence on Drake Road in Bradford for the report of a domestic violence incident involving an armed male and his wife. Troopers arrived on scene and made contact with 60-year-old Timothy Philpot of Bradford. Philpot was carrying a firearm and was outside his residence on a public way refusing to comply with commands to surrender himself. For the safety of the public in that area a shelter in place advisory was issued. Philpot’s wife was able to get out of the house safely and was not injured. After several hours of negotiation with the Maine State Police Crisis Negotiation Team Philpot was taken into custody by the Maine State Police Tactical Team and Troopers from the Northern Field Troop.  

Philpot was transported to Eastern Maine Medical Center and then to the Penobscot County Jail. Philpot has been charged with Domestic Violence Criminal Threatening, Refusing to Submit to Arrest or Detention, Reckless Conduct with a Dangerous Weapon, and Felony Level Criminal Mischief. The Bradford Fire Department and Mayo Regional Ambulance assisted on scene.

On Thursday, March 21, 2024, at approximately 9:00 AM, Troopers responded to a tractor trailer crash on Interstate 95 at 184 southbound in Bangor. Initial investigation indicates the driver, 34-year-old Edward Ross of Lawrenceville, GA was traveling southbound on the Interstate when he lost control of his vehicle causing the tractor trailer to roll over. Ross was not injured. The crash shut down exits 185, 186, and 187. The right southbound lane continues to be closed while crews offload the truck, upright it and remove it from the scene. That is expected to take another 2 hours or so. The tractor trailer was carrying french fries. Diving too fast for road conditions appears to be a contributing factor in the crash. The crash remains under investigation.