Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

July 28, 2012

Dispatches

From staff and news services

HAMPDEN

State police investigating apparent murder-suicide

State police are investigating an apparent murder-suicide involving a middle-aged woman and man at a home on Marina Road.

Police responded to a call around 7 a.m. from a 54-year-old man who said there had been a homicide and he planned to kill himself, according to a news release from Department of Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland.

McCausland said the woman, 53-year-old Katherine Hunt, was in the process of breaking up with the man, which led to the violence.

The State Police Tactical Team entered the house around noon and found in the kitchen two bodies that had been shot, McCausland said.

The man's name will not be released until his next of kin are located.

The man moved here last July from Jacksonville, Fla., to live with Hunt, according to the release..

PORTLAND

Teen charged in fatal crash won't spend any time in jail

A teenager who was driving at the time of a fatal crash in Harrison in 2010 won't do any jail time and had the most serious charge against her, manslaughter, dropped.

Under a plea deal, Morgan Kesseli pleaded guilty to lesser charges Friday and will be on probation until she is 21.

Kesseli, now 19, was charged in connection with the death of a passenger, Thomas McLendon, 19. of Oxford. Two other male passengers, 20 and 21, were badly injured in the crash.

Police said excessive speed was a primary factor in the crash, in which the sport utility vehicle that Kesseli was driving crossed the centerline and hit some trees. Kesseli was 17 at the time.

Her lawyers, J.P. DeGrinney and Peter J. Richard Jr., said in a statement that their client was not intoxicated or texting at the time of the crash.

Police initially concluded that excessive speed was the primary cause of the crash, but subsequent investigation showed that driver inexperience and wet road conditions also were significant factors.

Kesseli pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated assault, one count of reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon and one count of aggravated driving to endanger. 

County graduates first-ever class of police Explorers

The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office's first Explorer academy class -- teenagers who have an interest in law enforcement and participate in a weeklong overnight program -- graduated Thursday.

Eight cadets, who are members of Explorer Post No. 3, graduated at a ceremony held at St. Joseph's College in Standish where they studied traffic control, forensics and crime prevention.

They will now volunteer to help police much like Volunteers in Police Service do, assisting with non-law enforcement related activities.

HOLLIS

Domestic disturbance leaves deputy injured, man jailed

A Hollis man is in jail and a York County Sheriff's deputy is recovering from injuries following a domestic disturbance Thursday night.

A woman asked for a deputy's help to avoid a fight with her partner when she went to collect belongings and her child at a home on Bar Mills Road in Hollis at 8 p.m.

Deputy Peter Nelson accompanied her and at the house encountered Bruce Blake, 47. Blake ordered Nelson to leave and then tried to force him out, police said.

Nelson called for backup and during the struggle that followed, received a cut to his finger and sprains to his wrist and neck, police said.

Deputies used a Taser on Blake twice before he could be taken into custody, police said. Blake was held on $2,500 bail pendng a court appearance Friday afternoon.

ROCKLAND

Rockland man convicted in death of ex-girlfriend

A Rockland man has been convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend.

A jury in Knox County Superior Court found 37-year-old Arnold Diana guilty of murder Thursday after about four hours of deliberations.

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