WATERVILLE — Maine State Police divers searched the Kennebec River on Monday for evidence related to a Vassalboro homicide two weeks ago, but wouldn’t say what they found or were looking for.

State police called the search downtown near the Two-Cent Bridge successful, but wouldn’t elaborate further about the dive for evidence connected to the killing of Thomas Namer, 69, of Waterville.

“We found some items, but we’ll still be looking,” said Detective Sgt. Jeff Love of the state police.

Courtney Shea, 30, of Vassalboro, who is charged with murder the Nov. 21 slaying of Namer, may have been on or near the footbridge within hours of the killing.

Shea is believed to have been in that area between 7 and 11 p.m., said Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety.

A dozen divers searched in the river, which at its deepest point is 38 feet, he said.

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Shea said that Namer molested him as a child, according to a police affidavit, and that Namer made sexual advances toward him the night of the killing. Shea said he later blacked out and stabbed Namer to death, the affidavit said.

Shea said he then drove Namer’s car to lower Water Street in Waterville and made a number of calls before returning to Vassalboro, according to the affidavit.

Namer’s body was found the morning after he was killed near Shea’s home on Riverside Drive, Route 201.

Shea was ordered held without bail at an initial appearance in Kennebec County Superior Court.

State police ask that anyone who may have seen Shea on or near the bridge Nov. 21 to contact them.


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