Augusta man charged in Richmond murder makes court appearance

WEST BATH — Andrew Sherman was likely killed about Sept. 29, 2019, nearly two weeks before his body was discovered at his Richmond house, authorities said Monday during an Augusta man’s court appearance on a murder charge.

Tyon K. Shuron, 42, made his initial appearance at West Bath District Court. He was flanked by lawyers Ron Bourget and Darrick Banda.

Tyon K. Shuron

Shuron, dressed in orange clothing issued by the jail, sat quietly in the courtroom, then stood when Justice Daniel Billings read the criminal complaint against him.

Shuron said only, “Yes, sir,” when asked if he understood the complaint and his obligations.

Maine Assistant Attorney General Meg Elam, the prosecutor, asked that the police affidavit in the case, which spells out details of the allegations against Shuron, be impounded, meaning it would be available only to certain people involved with the case.

Billings agreed to the request.

Only the criminal complaint, written by Mark Ferreira, a detective with the Maine State Police Major Crime Unit, was available Monday. In the complaint, Ferreira wrote Shuron intentionally or knowingly caused Sherman’s death on or about Sept. 29 — 12 days before Sherman’s body was discovered at his Kimball Street house.

Shuron, whose next court appearance is scheduled for April, was arrested Friday in Augusta, nearly four months after Maine State Police investigators deemed the death of Sherman, 48, a homicide.

Sherman was found dead Oct. 11. A friend who was concerned because he had not heard from Sherman in days discovered the body.

In the days after the discovery, State Police interviewed Sherman’s family and friends, and then deemed the death suspicious. The area of the Kimball Street property where Sherman lived was cordoned off with crime scene tape and a State Police evidence collection team was brought in.

Sherman had been living on property his mother owned until July. He had reached an agreement with Gary Nash, the new owner, to remain at the property for six months after the sale.

Eleven days later, the Maine State Police said Sherman’s death was being investigated as a homicide.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has yet to disclose publicly how Sherman died. That information is being withheld at the direction of the Office of the Maine Attorney General, according to officials.

About a half-dozen of Sherman’s family members or friends sat in the first two rows of the courtroom Monday to watch the brief proceeding.

Four people — two men and two women — sat several rows behind Shuron, and made eye contact with him as he was escorted from the courtroom.

“This matter is at its preliminary stage,” Bourget said after Monday’s hearing. “I’m concerned for those who might rush to judgment on this case. These matters take time to analyze for trial. Just because the government has charged Mr. Shuron doesn’t mean he’s guilty of the crime. There’s a lot to follow.”