Questions Persist in Slaying of High School Student

It was 1am on April 4th, 1998 when Gorham High School student Robert Joyal died from being stabbed several times in a brawl between two groups of people in the parking lot of a Denny’s restaurant in Portland.  The 18 year old senior had just moved to Gorham from the Houston, Texas area with his parents and younger brother.  The night of his murder, Joyal was celebrating with friends when problems arose between one of his group and someone else.  Joyal and his group tried to walk away and went to a different location (Denny’s) where the opposing group had been waiting for them in an ambush.  A group fight ensued and Joyal would die from loss of blood.  Police have several persons of interest, including one named Seiha Srey, who was originally charged with murder in the case.  He would eventually be released due to lack of evidence but would be a victim of murder himself in a shoot out with another individual.  Several of the person of interest in the fight and murder are believed to be part of an Asian street gang out of Lowell, Massachusetts and have affiliates and friends from Portland.   Law Enforcement and Joyal’s family believe that there are people who know exactly what happened that night.   For a opinion piece about this case with additional information (not our view) visit this blog post.  A brother’s quest for Justice

If you have information about this case, please call  the Gorham police, call (207) 839-5581.

Murder of Woman last seen in Vermont still Unsolved

Twenty-six year old Leslie Spellman was last seen alive in the town of Barre, Vermont on June 18, 1977. she had been hitchhiking her way to Arcadia National Park in Maine. She was found bludgeoned to death at Asticou Azalea Gardens in Northeast Harbor the next morning. Her dog who she was travelling with was found a half mile away. It is possible that her killer may have picked her up and killed her in Maine. The case has been unsolved for over thirty years. If you have any information as to who may have abducted and killed Leslie Spellman, please call the Maine State Police at 800-432-7381.

A Woman Vanishes and Found Later as a Victim of Murder

Susan Hannah’s mother was concerned, she hadn’t seen her daughter for several days when she filed a missing persons report on 4-20-1992. The Twenty-two year old had been living with her mother in the town of Scarborough after she had gotten separated from her husband. The last known sighting of her was at the Whaler bar at Old Orchard Beach. It was not until 11-14-93 that her remains were located off of a logging road in the woods adjacent to Route 117 in the town of Limington, Maine. Her death was ruled a homicide and Law Enforcement does have a suspect in her murder. If you know of any information that can solve this case, please call the Scarborough Police Department at 207-730-4308 or the Maine State Police at 1-800-228-0857 or 207-657-3030.

Disappearance of 2 Young Boys Still Haunt State

On June 2, 1971 in the town of Alfred, 3 year old Douglas Chapman disappeared at around 10:30. He was last seen by his mother playing by a sand pile about twenty-five yards in front of his house. At first it was believed that he had wandered away and a massive search crew of thousands of people tried in vain to search for him. But to date, he has still never been located.

On September 1, 1975, five year old Kurt Newton was last seen at the Natanis Campground in Chain Of Ponds. At the time of his disappearance he had been riding a big wheel toy and was believed to have wandered off initially. His big wheel toy was eventually found at a dump site just less than a mile from where he was last seen. It is believed that both Newton and Chapman may have succumbed to foul play. If you have any information about there whereabouts of these two young boys please contact the Maine State Police at 207-657-3030. All calls can be confidential.

A Troubled Life and Horrible Death

18 year old Amy Drake had fallen victim to drug use. The mother of a young child, also had deal with a physically abusive relationship with the father of that child. That individual was convicted of assaulting her. In late September of 2006, she was reported missing to the Skowhegan Police Department. On November 4, 2006, hunters discovered her remains in a wooded area off the River Road in Norridgewock. Law Enforcement says she died as a result of homicide. There is a suspect in this case but police need anyone with information to come forward. If you know anything about this case, please call the Maine State Police at (207)624-7143.

Thirteen Year Old’s Murder Still Puzzles Investigators

August 9th 1970 was the last time Mary Olenchuk’s family saw her alive. It was late afternoon, she got on her bike and rode to town. The red-headed thirteen year old was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and pink Wrangler shorts. She told her parents she was going to the center of Ogunquitto pick up a copy of the New York Times and some candy. When she didn’t return at 7:15 pm that night, a massive police search commenced. Her bicycle was found in the alcove of a nearby hotel and on the 20th on August, her body was found in a barn ten miles away in Kennebunkport. She had been placed under some unbaled hay. There has been speculation that her kidnapping/murder could have been a result of her father’s activities who was a military general at the time. He was involved in a military project that involved dumping chemical weapons into the ocean. A radical student group had told the press that it would kidnap family members of those involved in the military operation. Attention also turned to a high school student was was cleared. The barn where she was found mysteriously found burned in a suspicious fire a year later. Police are still looking for a mysterious white male in his 30s wearing dark clothes. He was seen driving a maroon vehicle, possibly a 1967 Chevrolet. Mary’s parents died without ever seeing justice for their daughter. If you have any information about this case, please call the Maine State Police at 1-800-228-0857 (In State) 207-657-3030 (Out of State). Their fax number is 207-657-5748.

Homicide of Teenager Still an Active Investigation

On February 9, 1999; 15 year old Ashley Ouellette was found deceased in the middle of Pine Point Road in Scarborough. Police believe there was four hour time frame between midnight and 4am that winter day. She ended up going to a house on Mast Hill Road in nearby Saco. Police believe that the house may be the last area where she was seen alive. Sadly, many of Ouellette’s peers have not talked about what may have happened that night. Police do have persons of interest and are looking for information. If you know anything about Ashley Ouellette’s homicide please call (207)657-3030. You can also leave a tip on the Maine State Police website.

Brazen Home Invasion Kills Young Woman

Darien Richardson was a 25 year old college graduate who died as a result from injuries suffered in a violent home invasion. The attack took place on January 8, 2010 at a home she shared with several roommates and a boyfriend at Rackleff Street in the Deering section of Portland. Around 1:30 am, a masked intruder broke in and shot her and her boyfriend several times. Weeks later, Richardson would succumb to complications from the attack. Police have stated that this was not random and it may have been tied to illegal trafficking of the prescription drug, Oxycontin. However, Police have also made clear that Richardson had no involvement or knowledge of the illegal drug activity. She was an innocent victim. What is even more disturbing is that police believe that the gun used to kill her was also used in another Portland homicide that was solved. In that case, a man named Daudoit Butsitsi was convicted of murder in the death of Serge Mulongo. Butsitsi will not reveal to law enforcement where and how he obtained the gun.

There is a ten thousand dollar reward for information leading to the conviction of the persons responsible for the homicide of Darien Richardson. If you have information about this case, please call the Portland police at 874-8533 or log on to http://www.portland-police.com. For more information about this case and how you can help victims of violent crime in Maine, visit http://rememberingdarien.org/site/

Identity of Man Found in Woods Still Unknown

On November 4, 2010, the body of an unidentified male was found by hunters on Thursday about a mile from Route 11 in Staceyville, Maine. He is believed to be a white male in his fifties that weighed around 150 pounds and around 5’9. When found he was found wearing a blue-and-white plaid, button-down, long-sleeve shirt. The shirt was a “Vineyard Vines” whale shirt. The shirt comes from a company based out of Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. He also was wearing St. John’s Bay khaki pants. The pants had a 33-inch waist and a 30-inch inseam. The deceased also had a medium St. John’s Bay dark brown canvas jacket a pair of New Balance sneakers that were model 811, size 10EE.

The deceased also wore a blue and white cap that is pictured. It is believed that he may have died a month prior to his body’s discovery.

If you have any information about this deceased person, please contact the Maine State Police located in Houlton at (207) 532-5400.

The Curious Case of Kevin Race

It was just supposed to be a day hike at New Hampshire’s Mount Washington on September 9, 2007. When he didn’t return a police investigation revealed a possible “Suicide Letter” at his residence in Woolwich. His car was found at the Pinkham Notch parking lot at the base of the mountain and he had been seen at the Hermit Lake Shelter at the bottom of Tuckerman’s Ravine which is almost two miles from the summit of the mountain. IT seemed that after days of searching, Race became one of a handful of people to vanish on the dangerous mountain.

In January of 2008, Race’s former business partner filed a lawsuit against him in court for alleged embezzlement of around a half a million dollars from the business they owned together. There is also a warrant issued for his arrest.

Race is described at the time of his disappearance as having blue eyes and brown hair and was forty six years old. He was 5’11 (1.8 meters)and weighed 195 pounds (88.45 Kilograms).

Did he take his own life at Mount Washington? Or did he stage a fake suicide? Family members believe that Kevin Race is deceased. Mount Washington can be very deadly and unforgiving.

Who is this Accused Rapist?

The Waldo County Sheriff’s Office is searching for the identity of a man accused of a rape on a 61 year old woman. The sexual assault took place at a home on Church Street in the town of Stockton Springs. The unknown attacker convinced the owner the house let him retrieve some items left in the house by claiming he was a former tenant. He then attacked the woman that afternoon.

He is described as between the ages of 35 and 45. He is estimated to be around six feet tall. He may have dark hair, hazel or bluish eyes. The rapist also had a very unusual facial scar or tattoo (hook shape or arrow) as evidenced by the sketch above. He may also have tattoos on fingers of both of his hands. Law Enforcement thinks it’s possible that the word “hate” may be tattooed on his left fingers.

If you have any information about who this individual may be, you are urged to contact the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office at 338-2040.

NewBorn Baby Found deceased. Who were her parents?

It was a horrible discovery in 1985. A Siberian Husky finds a dead newborn girl and brings it home to it’s owner in Frenhville.. Law Enforcement determines that a woman had given birth to the baby in nearby gravel pit. From there she carried the baby into the woods and left her there to die. Prints from the mothers boots were observed frozen into the blood left on the snow covered ground. Around the time of this incident it was reported that a male/female couple were seen driving around with the female in obvious distress and physically ill. Police believe that the mother of the dead baby is probably from Canada. This child needs a name and she deserves justice.

If you have any information about who cruelly abandoned this baby to perish please contact the Main State Police at (207) 941-4071 or toll free 1-800-432-7381. You can also write to them at Criminal Investigation Division III, 106 Hogan Road, Bangor, Maine 04401.

UPDATE 6-15-2022  Law Enforcement arrested 58 year old Lee Ann Daigle of Lowell, Massachusetts and charged with murder.  

Reference: https://nypost.com/2022/06/14/mother-of-baby-jane-doe-arrested-in-1985-maine-cold-case/

No Conviction in Murder of Part Time Police Officer

On October 13, 1989, thirty year old Isaac “Charlie” Russell was shot to death in a field near Pike’s Hill Road in the town of Norway. Four days after he was last seen by a roommate. Russell told his roommate he was going to “run an errand”. Instead he ended up dieing from a gunshot to the head.
Police immediately arrested a suspect and the theory was the killing took place over a botched drug deal. Russell despite being an out of work reserve police officer was dealing drugs. A trial took place and despite strong circumstantial evidence, there was an acquittal. The 27 year old who was accused had maintained “other drug dealers” took out Russell. The gun used to kill Russell was stolen from a friend of a drug dealing rival.

The State still believes that the killer “got away with murder”. However, it is possible that with DNA evidence, the trail could point to someone else or implicate the original suspect.

Murder at High End Hotel Remains Unsolved

The Bangor House was a well known hotel in the town of Bangor. On March 18th 1965, a horrible crime occurred when 54 year old Effie McDonald was sexually assaulted, beaten and strangled in a third floor unoccupied hotel room. The crime sent shockwaves through the city and surrounding area. The murder had been similar to the Boston Strangler Murders that were taking place in Massachusetts at around the same time. The victims in those cases like McDonald had been strangled with nylon stockings. However, police ruled that the cases were separate due to the fact the killer in McDonald’s case did not use a knot.

There was a sketch of a male who had been in the hotel acting suspiciously. He was described as being white, around five feet, 10 inches with a stocky build. He had both brown hair and eyes and in his thirties. McDonald was divorced and a chamber maid at the hotel where she had worked for several years. The hotel is located at the corner of Main and Union streets. It is now converted senior living housing.
For more information about this case please visit the blog about this case from McDonald’s nephew. http://bangorhousemurder.blogspot.com/

Disappearance of Accountant In Trouble Brings Questions

Rod Hotham was a wanted man. Law Enforcement was investigating him for financial crimes. But other people were looking at him because of possible incriminating information he may have had against them. On the date of September 16th, 1992, he disappeared only hours from when he was supposed to meet with the state attorney general with evidence of various white-collar crimes that involved politicians and prominent business people. In the months prior, to his last being seen, his family’s home had been broken into several times. Weeks after he was last seen, a federal indictment came down on Hotham and he was charged with nine counts of money laundering and eight counts of bank fraud. Whether is on the run or a victim of the people he allegedly had “dirt” on is a mystery. It’s been more than two decades since the then 47 year old has been seen.

Decades old Murder Haunts Town

By all accounts, 15 year old Judith Hand was good child. That is why it was out of character for the Farmington resident to not come on the evening of September 10th, 1971. She had come home from junior high school and went to leave for a baby sitting job to make some extra money. Police and family searched the town as well as neighboring areas for her. Tragically, 13 days later her remains were found. They were buried in a sawdust pile only a few blocks from her Middle Street home. Over the years, Law Enforcement has looked at suspects but there has never been an arrest.
If you have any information about this murder case, please call the Maine State Police at 1-800-228-0857 or at (207)657-3030.

Four Decades Later a Man’s unsolved murder is shrouded with rumors of a Coverup.  Who murdered Michael Cochrane?

It was in February of 1981 when the body of 24 year old Michael Cochrane was found under the burned debris of a cabin and had been there for several days.  At first it was determined that his death was from smoke inhalation and he had died in an accidental fire.  Months later Cochrane’s death was declared a homicide but by that time Cochrane’s body had been cremated.  Another thing that complicated the investigation early one was that Cochrane’s body was found six days after the blaze was started.  

Cochrane struggled with drug addiction and was involved with drug dealers.  He was also convicted of criminal charges.  There are theories that he was murdered because these dealers thought Cochrane was a “snitch”.  

Cochrane’s mother has done her own investigation on her son’s murder and has continually pushed to see the case solved.  

To learn more about this case visit.  http://www.murderofmikecochran.com/