Maine man kills girlfriend, two others, and himself: police

(Reuters) - A 42-year-old man shot and killed his girlfriend and both parents of a 3-year-old girl in their central Maine home while the child was in the house, then went outside and killed himself in the driveway, state police said on Thursday.

Maine State Police and local investigators still had no clear sense of what prompted Herman Derico to open fire in Oakland, about 75 miles (120 km) north of Portland, on Wednesday night, state police spokesman Steve McCausland said.

Police identified the victims as Amanda Bragg, 30; Michael Muzerolle, 29, and Amy Derosby, 28. Derosby and Bragg were sisters. Bragg and Muzerolle were the parents of the child, who police had earlier described as 4 years old.

"At this point what state police and Oakland police are trying to determine is what sparked the violence here last night and at this hour we do not have answers," McCausland told reporters, standing in front of the modest two-story home where the killings occurred.

After being shot, Derosby had called 911 to report the attack, McCausland said.

"This woman who had been wounded picked up the phone, called 911 and gave police information that was very helpful, McCausland said.

The girl is now in the care of her grandmother, the mother of Bragg and Derosby.

Derico and Derosby had lived in a second-floor apartment of the house, while Bragg, Muzerolle and the child lived on the first floor, where the shootings took place.

Derico, who had no criminal record in Maine, used a 9 mm handgun in the attack, McCausland said.

Maine has experienced 17 homicides so far this year including Wednesday's killings.

(Reporting by Scott Malone in Boston and Victoria Cavaliere in Los Angeles)