BANGOR

Jury deliberates into the night in murder, arson trial

A Bangor jury on Friday surpassed 33 hours of deliberating without reaching a verdict in the trial of two men charged with killing three people before burning their bodies in a car after a drug dispute.

Randall Daluz of Brockton, Massachusetts, and Nicholas Sexton of Warwick, Rhode Island, are charged with three counts of murder and one count of starting a fire and faced maximum sentences of life in prison.

The three bodies were discovered burned beyond recognition in a car in a Bangor parking lot in 2012. The victims were Nicolle Lugdon, 24, of Eddington, Daniel Borders, 26, of Hermon, and Lucas Tuscano, 28, of Bradford.

The jury has deliberated over three days after hearing more than two weeks of testimony and will return on Tuesday. They requested numerous clarifications over the course of deliberations, including readings of testimony and several definitions, and asked to see the alleged murder weapon and a surveillance video of the car fire.

Deputy Attorney General William Stokes said he couldn’t remember a longer deliberation in a Maine murder trial in more than 35 years with the state.

“I don’t remember any going beyond the third day,” Stokes said. “You’re entering uncharted territory now.”

Assistant Attorney General Lisa Marchese said during the trial that the fire set by the men destroyed key physical evidence and that the killings eliminated any witnesses. But she added there was still plenty of evidence to show the defendants worked together.

Hunter Tzovarras, attorney for Daluz, said during trial that evidence pointed toward a conflict between Sexton and Borders, and that there was no proof Daluz was present in the car when the victims were killed. Sexton and his lawyer, Jeffrey Toothaker, had blamed Daluz for killing all three victims.

In his testimony, Sexton told jurors that Daluz killed the victims. Daluz chose not to testify, telling the judge while the jurors were not in the courtroom Tuesday that he didn’t want to appear “desperate.”

During the trial, Marchese said that all of the key parties in the case were members of Bangor’s drug underworld, and that the case is “about the sale and use of drugs, it is about loyalty, it is about money.” 

BATH

Man who allegedly led police on car, foot chase arrested

Police say a Bath man who led police on a car and foot chase and allegedly tried to run down a sheriff’s deputy has been arrested.

The Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office said it got reports of an erratic driver in West Bath at about 4 p.m. Thursday. Deputy Matthew Shiers spotted the SUV pulling into a driveway and tried to block it in. But the SUV’s driver allegedly drove toward the deputy in an attempt to run him down.

The SUV was then spotted in Bath, where police told The Times Record the driver fled on foot before being tracked down and arrested.

The driver, 26-year-old James Badger, faces a variety of charges, including operating under the influence and aggravated reckless conduct. His passenger was arrested on a probation violation.

BRUNSWICK

Maine Fire Service Institute will receive federal funds

The Maine Fire Service Institute in Brunswick will receive $154,714 in federal money for training equipment.

U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree said Thursday that the money will come from the federal Assistant to Firefighters Grant program.

Copy the Story Link