BIDDEFORD (AP) — A Biddeford, Maine, man has pleaded guilty to setting a fire that claimed two lives there when he was 18 years old.
Dylan Collins pleaded guilty Tuesday in Superior Court in Alfred to one count of arson and to two counts of felony murder. He’d previously been charged with two counts of depraved indifference murder, a more serious charge.
He’s due to be sentenced later this month.
Twenty- three- year- old Michael Moore died of smoke inhalation in the September 2014 fire. Twenty-year old James Ford died a month later from complications.
Police say Collins acknowledged that he lit the fire to scare an ex-girlfriend and that the two men who died were “collateral damage.” They say he purchased a lighter and rubbing alcohol used to start the fire with cash to avoid having a record of the transaction.
The Times Record Sustaining Sponsor
We believe a community must be informed to thrive. bowdoin.edu
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less