A Houlton man has been indicted on two counts of murder and multiple other charges in connection with the killings of an Oakfield couple and an arson spree in September in southern Aroostook.
Matthew Davis, 32, is accused of fatally shooting Michael Kitchen, 51, and Heidi Pratt, 49, in their home before setting it on fire on Sept. 23.
He was indicted Nov. 8 on two counts of murder, four counts of arson, three counts each of theft and aggravated criminal mischief. The Aroostook County grand jury indictments list was released by Aroostook County District Attorney Todd Collins last week.
An autopsy conducted at the state medical examiner’s office in Augusta showed that Kitchen died from multiple gunshot wounds and Pratt died from a gunshot wound to the neck. Police said the wounds were inflicted by a semi-automatic rifle purchased by Davis.
According to an affidavit written by Maine State Police Detective Elmer Farren, neighbors of the victims heard gunshots at about 4:30 a.m. Sept. 23 and saw a truck leaving the scene with one male driver. Firefighters called to the home discovered a white pick-up truck belonging to Katahdin Forest Products aflame against the residence. One hour later, the Island Falls Fire Department was called to extinguish a fire on Richardson Road in Island Falls, where another pick-up truck was found burning with a firearm inside.
Police believe the spree of mayhem started earlier that morning at Katahdin Forest Products in Oakfield, where a flatbed wrecker truck registered to Davis had been backed into the building, and both the truck and office had caught fire. Police said video surveillance from that site shows the same white company truck leaving the scene as was found burning at the Kitchen home.
Following a manhunt, police found Davis at about 10:45 a.m. in a stolen vehicle in Island Falls and arrested him, according to the affidavit.
Farren also said in the affidavit that police determined the burning vehicle found on Richardson Road belonged to the garage that Kitchen owned with his family. Another firearm inside that vehicle belonged to Davis.
Assistant Attorney General Leane Zainea was not available for comment Thursday evening.
Davis did not enter a plea when he made his initial court appearance on Sept. 25. He has been held without bail at the Aroostook County Jail in Houlton since his arrest.
Among the other 55 individuals who were indicted Nov. 8 are:
Craig D. Miller, 34, Linneus: burglary (three counts), criminal mischief (three counts) and theft (two counts).
Tyler E. McCluskey, 29, Smyrna: unlawful possession of scheduled drugs and violating bail conditions.
Mackenzie L. London, 21, Oakfield: theft.
Daniel R. Bouchard, 35, Houlton: unlawful possession of scheduled drugs and violating bail conditions.
Justin L. Barry, 26, Houlton: theft.
Benjamin K. Stewart, 25, Hodgdon: operating after revocation and unlawful possession of scheduled drugs (seven counts).
Greg W. Hitchcock, 41, Island Falls: theft, violating bail conditions (three counts), operating after revocation, cultivating marijuana and improper plates.
Colby C. Clark, 23, Merrill: receiving stolen property.
Anthony M. Griffin, 20, Caribou: assaulting an officer (two counts), burglary, theft, violating condition of release and violating bail conditions.
Robert F. St. Jean, 57, Caribou: assaulting an officer.
Joseph A. Engebretson, 36, Wallagrass: gross sexual assault and domestic violence assault.
Andre R. Rice, 45, Island Falls: possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Lucas G. Sterris, 38, Presque Isle: violating bail conditions and violating protection order.
Stephen C. Shepard, 58, Auburn: unlawful sexual contact (two counts), assault (three counts), obstructing criminal prosecution, falsifying evidence, violating bail conditions (three counts) and criminal trespass.
Michael S. Boody, 32, Merrill: unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs.
Jacob R. Dickinson, 27, Oakfield: unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs.
Justin E. Lincoln, 26, Houlton: unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs (two counts).
Jennifer L. Cote, 38, Smyrna: unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs.
Christopher M. Lezotte, 22, Houlton: unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs.
Ricci T. Wafford, 33, Farmington, Mich.: unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs and illegal importation of scheduled drugs.
Eric M. Martin, 41, Walled Lake, Mich.: unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs and illegal importation of scheduled drugs.
Adam V. Jackson, 34, Presque Isle: operating after revocation and operating under the influence.
Trevor M. Tompkins, 25, Ashland: burglary and theft.
Christopher R. Cyr, 35, Ashland: burglary and theft.
Stephen D. Davenport, 26, Presque Isle: aggravated operating after revocation, OUI and violating condition of release.
Sean J. McIntyre, 34, Presque Isle: unauthorized use of property.
Brian D. Cloukey, 49, Presque Isle: aggravated criminal mischief, aggravated assault and violating condition of release.
Landon L. Larsen, 33, Presque Isle: assault (three counts), violating condition of release (three counts), domestic violence criminal threatening, criminal mischief and obstructing report of crime (two counts).
Eric C. Peterson, 21, Presque Isle: burglary and theft.
Joshua J. Easler, 24, Mapleton: burglary, theft and violating condition of release.
Rishard C. McIlwain, 29, Biddeford: unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs.
Adam Michaud, 32, Presque Isle: stealing drugs (two counts), unlawful possession of scheduled drugs and violating condition of release.
Brian A. Marquis, 29, Frenchville: operating after revocation.
Natasha Michaud, 25, Van Buren: burglary and theft.
Daryll I. Sherwood, 63, Fort Fairfield: domestic violence assault and criminal OUI.
Joshua A. Martin, 26, Connor: stealing drugs, unauthorized use, burglary of motor vehicle and operating after suspension.
Kevin A. Makepeace, 33, Caribou: operating after revocation, improper plates and misuse of public benefit instrument.
Emily Adams, 27, Caribou: receiving stolen property.
Ryan D. Bossie, 25, Caribou: receiving stolen property.
Connie A. Day, 59, Fort Fairfield: stealing drugs.
Marc A. Daigle, 60, St. John: OUI, operating after suspension, criminal trespass and refusing to submit to arrest.
Jonathan A. Willigar, 25, Monticello: burglary and assault.
Gregory D. Malone, Jr., 18, Monticello: burglary and assault.
Preston E. Brown, 28, Woodland: operating after revocation.
Katrina L. Lank, 38, Caribou: unlawful possession of scheduled drugs, theft, and operating without license.
Patrick J. McAfee, 34, Houlton: operating after revocation.
Dustin D. Badger, 21, Hamlin: theft, aggravated criminal mischief, passing roadblock, refusing to submit, operating after revocation and violating condition of release.
Jeffrey W. Nickerson, 52, Presque Isle: OUI and operating beyond license restriction.
Anthony G. Binnie, 34, Limestone: aggravated assault.
Candace Giberson, 49, Mars Hill: theft.
Amanda Gardner, 29, Van Buren: unlawful trafficking of synthetic drugs.
Levon D. Francis, 37, Presque Isle: unlawful trafficking of synthetic drugs.
Brian J. Seiders, 42, Presque Isle: unlawful trafficking of synthetic drugs.
Roxane L. Bisson, 46, Limestone: unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs.
