HOULTON — A hearing scheduled this week to determine whether a 16-year-old accused of killing a local man will be tried as an adult or a juvenile has been postponed.
Samuel Geary, 16, and Reginald Dobbins, 18, both of Houlton, have been charged with murder in connection with the March 1 death of 61-year-old Keith Suitter.
Dobbins, who has not pleaded to the charges yet, is being held without bail in the Aroostook County Jail.
Geary has entered a plea of denial in juvenile court, which is equivalent to a not guilty plea in adult proceedings. He remains held in a state juvenile facility.
The bind-over hearing for Geary scheduled for Monday, Dec. 14, was continued but has not been rescheduled yet, a Houlton District Court clerk said Friday.
Suitter, a longtime Houlton resident and military veteran, ran a painting business and lived alone. He was found dead in his home after two friends spotted his vehicle abandoned about a half-mile away from his property and went to check on him.
State police have released no information about what led to the arrest of the two suspects on March 6. All documents pertaining to the case, including what was filed to obtain search warrants for the Geary and Dobbins properties, remain impounded by the court
Assistant Attorney General Deborah Cashman was not available for comment Friday.
