An online fundraising campaign was launched Saturday for victims of the deadly rampage across northern Maine in which two men were killed, four other people were injured and a woman was kidnapped.

Anthony Lord, 35, of Crystal and Sherman, was arrested Friday in Houlton after he beat a man, stole guns and a pickup truck, kidnapped a young woman and shot five people, killing two, Maine State Police said.

The series of crimes started Thursday night in Benedicta and continued Friday morning in Silver Ridge Township, Benedicta and Lee. Lord was charged with shooting and killing Kyle Hewitt, 22, of Caribou and Kevin Tozier, 58, of Lee and kidnapping Brittany Irish, 22, of Benedicta, Hewitt’s girlfriend.

Police said Irish’s mother, Kim Irish, 58, of Benedicta, Clayton McCarthy, 55, of Mattawamkeag, and Carlton Eddy of Benedicta were also wounded by gunshots.

Police said Lord assaulted and tied up Kary Mayo of Silver Ridge Township.

The fundraising Web page was created on Gofundme.com by Nicole (Irish) Stafford, who identified herself Sunday evening on the Web page as the sister of Brittany Irish and Kim Irish’s daughter.

“Luckily my sister, Brittany, and our mom survived although not without injury,” Nicole Irish wrote. “This wonderful man and father (Hewitt) you see pictured lost his life while trying to keep his family safe.”

Nicole Irish said Brittany’s two boys “are now fatherless.”

The fundraiser has a goal of $10,000 and is intended to help both the Irish and Hewitt families with funeral and medical costs, according to the Web page.

As of 9:30 p.m. Sunday, the Web page had raised $695 from 16 donors.

State police spokesman Stephen McCausland said Sunday that Lord will make his initial court appearance at 11:30 a.m. Monday in Houlton.

Staff Writer Dennis Hoey contributed to this report.

 

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