Maine shooting Grisly scene at Bowdoin home revealed as Joseph Eaton motive unknown
Court records in the Maine shooting spree revealed the grisly crime scene discovered by police called to the scene after suspect Joseph Eaton allegedly shot and killed four people, including his parents and their two friends.
The suspect appeared in court in West Bath on Thursday, his first appearance since the killings.
The victims, who all died of gunshot wounds, include his parents Cynthia Eaton, 62 and David Eaton, 66, and their friends Robert Eger, 72 and Patricia Eger, 62.
Court documents state that Patti’s sister visited the home at about 9am, finding drops of blood near the door, WABI reported.
Inside, she discovered a number of guns and bullet holes. She exited the home and called 911.
Police have said they found one victim in a barn and three others in the home. Court documents reveal that a dog was also shot at the scene.
Detectives searching the area also discovered a note stating that someone had been molested and that “there was nothing done about it”
The note also stated that someone had been freed of pain and that the author of the note wanted “a new life”.
The four victims are believed to have been killed one day before they were discovered on Tuesday morning.
Not long after the discovery, police responded to a shooting along a highway where Sean Halsey, 51, and his two children, Justin, 29, and Paige, 25, had all been shot.
They were transported to Maine Medical Center.
The father and son suffered injuries not considered life-threatening while Ms Halsey was in critical condition. Mr Halsey said on Wednesday afternoon that his daughter’s breathing tube had been removed and that she was on the road to recovery.
The car the suspect had been driving was rented by his parents at Portland Jetport when they arrived in the state on 13 April to collect their son upon his release from prison.
Mr Eaton didn’t enter a plea in court on Thursday. His next court date has been scheduled for 28 June.
Key points
Suspect killed parents and their friends before going on highway shooting rampage
Maine shooting spree: What we know about the deadly attacks on a home and highway
Maine shooting suspect Joseph Eaton shot his parents and two others before opening fire on random highway
Joseph Eaton’s grandmother reacts to horror Maine shooting spree as motive remains a mystery
Maine shooting suspect Joseph Eaton left note about being ‘free’ after killing parents, two others and a dog
Four dead and several injured after related shootings on Maine interstate and at nearby home
Wednesday 19 April 2023 15:30 , Graig Graziosi
Law enforcement authorities in Maine have charged a man with murder in connection to the killings of four people who were found inside a house in Bowdoin on Tuesday morning.
On Tuesday, police responded to reports that several vehicles on Interstate 295 in Yarmouth, had been hit by gunfire. They then confirmed that the incident on the highway was linked to four bodies that were discovered in Bowdoin. The man charged with the murder has been identified by police as 34-year-old Joseph Eaton of Bowdoin.
A large police presence, including officers armed with rifles, responded to the highway following the shooting. A total of three people were injured in the highway shooting, according to the Associated Press, with one of them in critical condition as of Tuesday afternoon.
Read more:
Four dead and several hurt in shooting spree on Maine interstate and at nearby home
How many mass shootings have there been in 2023?
Wednesday 19 April 2023 16:00 , Abe Asher
Among high-income countries around the world, the United States has for years stood out for one reason: its rate of gun violence.
Over the last decade, among relatively wealthy countries with populations of 10m or more, the rate of gun violence in the US has far surpassed that of any other nation. According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, the adjusted firearm homicide rate in the US is 22 times that of the European Union and more than that of Asian countries like Japan and the Republic of Korea.
This year is on track to be no different. According to data from the Gun Violence Archive, there have as of mid-April already been 149 mass shootings in the US — with gun violence claiming lives in every state in the country.
As in a number of other years, including 2022, some of the most visible gun violence in the US this year has taken place at schools. In February, a shooting at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan left three students dead and five other people injured. In late March, a mass shooting at a Christian school in Nashville claimed six lives.
Other gunmen may have been targeting certain ethnic communities: in January in Half Moon Bay, California, a shooting at a dancehall in a predominantly Asian-American area left 11 people dead. Two days later, another mass shooting in nearby Monterey Bay, California killed seven more people.
Read more:
How many mass shootings have there been in 2023?
Seven people shot in Maine latest victims in series of US mass shootings
Wednesday 19 April 2023 16:30 , AP
The gunman, identified as Joseph Eaton, 34, of Bowdoin, was charged with four counts of murder but was not immediately charged in the highway shootings, Shannon Moss, state police spokesperson, said Wednesday. He was jailed while awaiting a court appearance.
The names of the victims were not released, and state police didn’t discuss any possible motive. The four bodies were taken to the state medical examiner’s office in Augusta for positive identification and autopsies.
The seven people shot Tuesday were the latest victims of mass shootings in the U.S., whose targets included a Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee; a bank in Louisville, Kentucky, and a Sweet Sixteen party in a small city in Alabama.
PHOTOS: Police shuts down highway after shooting
Wednesday 19 April 2023 17:00 , Gustaf Kilander
Suspect said ‘I just wish somebody would forgive me’ in video shared before shooting
Wednesday 19 April 2023 17:30 , Rachel Sharp
In a video shared on social media by Maine shooting suspect Joseph Eaton, 34, he is seen sitting in a car filming himself as he chokes up with tears and goes on a confusing ramble.
“I’m probably going to get emotional just talking about it,” he said.
“But a lot of people look at you and think ‘oh well there’s just another f*** up, another guy that can’t get his stuff together, treats people like s***’ and then they turn around and claim to be Christian.
“And you can’t forgive somebody or understand what they go through. You can’t give someone a second chance but you say you’re Christian. How does that make sense? Why can’t you just try to get to know the person again? What good’s it do to hate somebody? It destroys you.
“It’s not the way things were supposed to be done, the way things were made.”
Mr Eaton then went on to say he wants forgiveness for “the things I did” as he said he has had “trauma for a long time”.
“Just need to try to forgive me for the things I did. I’ve been dealing with trauma for a long time on things I don’t talk to people about – being molested and stuff it destroys somebody,” he said.
“I know I’m good for my kids. I just wish somebody would forgive me. Some people, I don’t get it.”
Hours after posting the video, Mr Eaton allegedly went on a shooting rampage across two locations in Maine on Tuesday.
More than 11,000 dead from gun violence this year
Wednesday 19 April 2023 18:00 , Abe Asher
According to the Gun Violence Archive, shootings have already claimed more than 11,000 lives in total in the US in 2023, with more than 6,000 people using a gun to die by suicide. Another 9,000 people have been injured in a shooting so far this year.
The Gun Violence Archive’s definition holds that mass shootings include at least four people either injured or killed, not including the shooter.
Despite the prevalance of gun violence this year and in recent years in the US, there has not been a renewed push to tighten the country’s liberal gun laws in Congress since a bipartisan group of legislators introduced and passed a modest array of reforms after the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas last year.
On a state level, a number of states have moved over the last year to remove barriers to purchasing and carrying firearms. Last year, Arkansas, Iowa, Montana, Tennessee, Texas and Utah all passed laws to no longer require people to hold a permit to carry a firearm, while legislators in states like Georgia and Ohio have moved to pass similar laws this year.
A select number of other states have gone in the other direction: voters in Oregon, for example, narrowly approved a ballot measure last year to require permits to purchase a firearm and ban magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition.
Maine State Police to hold press conference at 3pm
Wednesday 19 April 2023 18:28 , Gustaf Kilander
Maine State Police is set to hold a press conference at 3pm on Wednesday in August to share updates about Tuesday’s shootings that left four dead and three injured.
Suspect Joseph Eaton, 34, left the Maine Correctional Center in Windham on Friday. He was sentenced in March 2021, according to the director of governmental affairs for the Maine Department of Corrections, Anna Black.
He had been serving a sentence after a probation violation, the state official said on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press.
Following his Friday 14 April release, Mr Eaton was arrested on Tuesday after four bodies were found in a home on Augusta Road in Bowdoin. The killings have been connected to a highway shooting in which three people were injured later on Tuesday about 20 miles away in Yarmouth.
While Mr Eaton has been charged with four counts of murder, he hasn’t yet been charged in connection to the highway shooting. One of those shot on the highway remained in critical condition on Wednesday.
Records: Maine shooting suspect couldn’t legally own guns
Wednesday 19 April 2023 18:30 , AP
A Maine man who police say killed four people in a home and then shot three others randomly on a busy highway had a criminal history that should have prevented him from legally possessing a gun, according to state records.
The shootings in Maine began in the small town of Bowdoin, where four people were killed Tuesday. Then a chaotic scene developed in which shots were fired at vehicles on an interstate highway over 20 miles away in the community of Yarmouth, police said. Three people were shot there, and one remained in critical condition Wednesday.
“This is an active investigation with a lot of moving parts,” Shannon Moss, state police spokesperson, said Wednesday.
The gunman, identified as Joseph Eaton, 34, of Bowdoin, was charged with four counts of murder but was not immediately charged in the highway shootings, she said. He was jailed while awaiting a court appearance. It was unclear if he had an attorney to speak on his behalf, a jail official said Wednesday.
The names of the victims were not released, and state police didn’t discuss any possible motive. The four bodies were taken to the state medical examiner’s office in Augusta for positive identification and autopsies.
List of deadliest shootings within last year
Wednesday 19 April 2023 19:00 , Abe Asher
Dadeville, Alabama
The shooting unfolded at a “Sweet 16” birthday party in Dadeville, Alabama, leaving four people dead and a further 28 injured.
According to local police, the shooting began at around 10.34pm on Saturday (15 April) during a celebration held at the Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio in downtown Dadeville, a small town of around 3,000 residents lying 45 miles northeast of Montgomery.
As of 18 April, no arrests have been made and authorities declined to speculate on the suspect or their possible motive.
The victims have been identified as Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell, 18, Mersiah Collins, 19, Corbin Holston, 23, and KeKe Nicole Smith, 17.
Louisville, Kentucky
A 25-year-old employee opened fire at a bank in Louisville, Kentucky, on 10 April, killing five people and injuring eight others while live streaming the attack.
The shooter, identified as bank employee Connor Sturgeon, entered the Old National Bank in the downtown area of the city at around 8.30am armed with an AR-15-style rifle.
He shot and killed four bank executives inside the first-floor conference room before exchanging gunfire with responding police officers. Louisville deputy police chief Paul Humphrey said that he was shot dead by officer fire.
A fifth victim later succumbed to her injuries in hospital. All five were executives at the bank.
The victims have now been identified as Joshua Barrick, Thomas Elliott, Juliana Farmer, James Tutt, and Deana Eckert.
Nashville, Tenessee
Three nine-year-old students and three staff members died after a shooting at a private Christian grade school in Nashville, Tennessee, on 27 March 2023.
The suspect, 28-year-old Audrey Hale, was also killed by police at The Covenant School in the Green Hills suburb of the city.
An illustrator and graphic designer who attended Nossi College of Art, Hale had no criminal record prior to the massacre and was not known to law enforcement.
Hale was a former student at Covenant. Over the course of their investigation, officers have discovered manifesto-like writings and apparent research into the facilities and entry points at Covenant.
Students Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, and William Kinney, all aged nine, Head of School Katherine Koonce, 60, Cynthia Peak, 61, and Mike Hill, 61, all died in the attack.
Koonce was The Covenant School’s headteacher. She ran towards the shooter before she was killed in a hallway.
Half Moon Bay, California
The mass shooting unfolded on 23 January, with seven victims killed across two agricultural business locations – a mushroom farm and a trucking facility.
The gunman, Chunli Zhao, shot dead four people at the Mountain Mushroom Farm, and killed another three victims at Concord Farms located around two miles away, according to authorities. He was a former employee at both farms.
The horror attack is believed to have been witnessed by many children, as many farm workers live on-site with their families.
Monterey Park, California
Huu Can Tran, 72, a one-time fixture at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio, killed 11 people and wounded nine with a submachine gun-style semiautomatic handgun, on 21 January. He stormed inside the dance studio during the Lunar New Year celebrations and killed himself as police surrounded his van the next morning.
The victims were older Asian Americans, mostly in their 60s and 70s.
Chesapeake, Virginia
Andre Bing, a manager at a Walmart in Chesapeake, killed six and wounded six others during an employee meeting on 22 November 2022. He then shot himself.
Chesapeake officials released a chilling “death note” in which Bing complained that people “laughed at me and said I was like Jeffrey Dahmer”.
The long, rambling note was found on the 31-year-old mass shooter’s cellphone and released by Chesapeake officials – providing a glimpse into his motive behind the horror attack.
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Five people were killed and 17 wounded when a 22-year-old gunman allegedly opened fire with a semiautomatic rifle inside a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs. The suspect, who was subdued by patrons, is awaiting trial.
Authorities said that Anderson Lee Aldrich was seen pulling into a parking lot at Club Q just before midnight on 19 November 2022, where they entered and immediately opened fire.
Aldrich was charged with 305 criminal counts, including five counts of first-degree murder, five counts of committing a bias-motivated crime – or “hate” crime – and several charges of attempted murder and assault in the first-degree and second-degree.
Raleigh, North Carolina
Fifteen-year-old Austin Thompson allegedly killed five people and injured two more in a shooting in Raleigh on 13 October 2022. The suspect eluded officers for hours before he was cornered in a home and arrested.
The fatal victims were identified as Nicole Connors, 52, Susan Karnatz, 49, Mary Marshall, 35, Gabriel Torres, 29, James Thompson, 16. Thompson’s brother and a police officer were among the deceased.
Highland Park, Illinois
Six people were killed and at least 30 wounded when suspect Robert Crimo opened fire on an Independence Day parade on 4 July in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park.
According to police, Crimo had planned an attack for weeks and fired more than 80 rounds randomly into the crowd watching the parade.
Prosecutors also say Crimo made a “voluntary statement confessing to his actions” and revealed that the young man had made his way to Madison, Wisconsin, where he intended to commit another mass shooting but turned back.
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Three people died and 14 people were injured in a shooting on 5 June in front of a restaurant. Three people have been arrested.
Some 16 of the victims were adults and one was a minor. In total, fourteen people were shot, while three were hit by vehicles.
Philadelphia
Three people died and 11 others were injured on 4 June on a Philadelphia busy block during a melee that began with a fistfight and was followed by random gunfire. Two men, 34-year-old Rashann Vereen and 18-year-old Quran Garner, are in custody for two of the deaths; other people have also been arrested in connection with the melee.
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Gunman Michael Louis killed his surgeon and three other people at a medical office on 1 June 2022. The gunman killed himself as police arrived.
Uvalde, Texas
An 18-year-old gunman killed 19 children and two adults at Robb Elementary School on 24 May in the deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade. More than 15 other people were wounded.
The violence began before Salvador Ramos even arrived at the grade school. According to police and family members, he shot his grandmother in the head and stole the family truck, before heading to Robb Elementary School.
Buffalo, New York
White gunman Peyton Grendon opened fire on 14 May 2022 at a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighbourhood, killing 10 people and injuring others.
The attack, which Gendron had planned for months, was carried out with an AR-15 rifle and streamed live. He was arrested immediately after the massacre.
Gendron drove around 200 miles from his home to the predominantly Black community to carry out the attack.
In November 2022, Gendron pleaded guilty to all state charges against him, convictions that guarantee a life prison sentence. He was officially sentenced in February.
He pleaded guilty to 10 counts of first-degree murder, three counts of second-degree murder as a hate crime, and one count of domestic terrorism motivated by hate, among other charges.
‘They were just passersby in the wrong place at the wrong time'
Wednesday 19 April 2023 19:30 , AP
Ian Halsey, of Bowdoinham, said that two cousins were shot and that his uncle suffered shrapnel injuries in a single car. One of his cousins is in critical condition, and none of the family knew the shooter, he said.
“They were just passersby in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he said of his family. “It’s horrible what happened.”
Previous convictions prevented suspect from legally owning guns
Wednesday 19 April 2023 20:00 , AP
Suspect Joseph Eaton was charged over the past decade with more than a half-dozen crimes and served an eight-month sentence last year for assault, according to state records. Past convictions included aggravated assault, a felony that would prevent him from legally having a firearm.
The origins and ownership of the firearms used in Tuesday’s shootings were unclear.
Maine State Police hold press conference
Wednesday 19 April 2023 20:06 , Gustaf Kilander
Maine shooting suspect Joseph Eaton shot his parents and two others before opening fire on random highway
Wednesday 19 April 2023 20:24 , Gustaf Kilander
Among the four victims shot dead in Maine were the suspect’s parents.
Joseph Eaton, 34, has been charged with four counts of murder after reportedly shooting and killing his parents his father David Eaton, 66, his mother Cynthia Eaton, 62, and their friends Robert Eger, 72, and Patricia Eger, 62.
The suspect was released from prison just four days before he went on a rampage, shooting and killing the four people at a home and wounding another three people while driving down a highway.
Suspect Joseph Eaton, 34, left the Maine Correctional Center in Windham on Friday when he was picked up by his mother, according to the state authorities.
Read more:
Maine shooting suspect Joseph Eaton shot his parents and two others
Woman who commented on suspect’s social media posts lived where bodies found
Wednesday 19 April 2023 20:30 , Rachel Sharp
Maine State Police said that officers were called to a house in Bowdoin on Tuesday to find four victims dead from gunshot wounds.
Not long after the grim discovery was made, an assailant opened fire on cars driving along Interstate 295 in nearby Yarmouth.
Three drivers were shot in the attack – with one of them now in critical condition.
The two incidents are believed to be connected and Mr Eaton was taken into custody by police.
He was charged with four counts of murder over the victims in the home and is being held at Two Bridges Regional Jail.
He will make an initial court appearance later in the week, police said.
None of the victims have been publicly identified and no motive has been given.
Property records seen by The Independent show that a woman who had commented on Mr Eaton’s Facebook posts in the past lived at the address where the four victims were found.
Maine shooting suspect Joseph Eaton was released from prison four days before rampage
Wednesday 19 April 2023 21:00 , Gustaf Kilander
The suspect in the Maine shootings was released from prison just four days before he allegedly went on a rampage, shooting and killing four people at a home and wounding another three people while driving down a highway.
Suspect Joseph Eaton, 34, left the Maine Correctional Center in Windham on Friday. He was sentenced in March 2021, according to the director of governmental affairs for the Maine Department of Corrections, Anna Black. He had been serving a sentence after a probation violation, the state official said on Wednesday, the Associated Press reported.
Following his 14 April release, Mr Eaton was arrested on Tuesday after four bodies were found in a home on Augusta Road in Bowdoin. The killings have been connected to the highway shooting in which three people were injured later on Tuesday about 20 miles away in Yarmouth.
Read more:
Maine shooting suspect Joseph Eaton was released from prison four days before rampage
Maine shooting spree: What we know about the deadly attacks on a home and highway
Wednesday 19 April 2023 21:30 , Rachel Sharp
Seven people were shot – four of them fatally – when a gunman embarked on a shooting spree across two different locations in Maine on Tuesday.
The horror incident first began at a home in Bowdoin where four victims were found dead before police were called to reports of a random shooting at cars on a nearby highway in Yarmouth.
Suspect Joseph Eaton, a 34-year-old convicted felon who was released from prison just days earlier, was arrested and charged with murder.
Now, the victims, their families and the communities of Bowdoin and Yarmouth are the latest to join a growing list impacted by gun violence in America.
Here’s what we know so far:
What we know about the Maine shooting spree on a home and highway
Suspect killed parents and their friends before going on highway shooting rampage
Wednesday 19 April 2023 22:00 , Gustaf Kilander
Among the four victims shot dead in Maine were the suspect’s parents.
Joseph Eaton, 34, has been charged with four counts of murder after reportedly shooting and killing his father David Eaton, 66; his mother Cynthia Eaton, 62; and their friends Robert Eger, 72; and Patricia Eger, 62.
The suspect was released from prison just four days before he went on a rampage, shooting and killing those at the home and wounding another three people while driving down a highway.
The suspect left the Maine Correctional Center in Windham on Friday when he was picked up by his mother, according to the state authorities.
The shooting took place at the home of the Egers. Three of the bodies were found inside the home, while Mr Eaton’s father was found at the property in a “non-attached garage,” according to the authorities.
Killings connected to highway shooting
Wednesday 19 April 2023 22:30 , Gustaf Kilander
The killings have been connected to the highway shooting in which three people were injured on Tuesday about 20 miles away in Yarmouth.
Col Bill Ross of Maine State Police identified the three people shot on the highway as 51-year-old Shawn Halsey, 29-year-old Justin Halsey, and 25-year-old Paige Halsey. Ms Halsey remains in critical condition at Maine Medical Center.
Speaking about the deceased, Col Ross said that “the office of the chief medical examiner determined that all died of gunshot wounds and were determined to be homicides”.
Suspect started shooting on highway because he thought he was being chased
Wednesday 19 April 2023 23:00 , Gustaf Kilander
Joseph Eaton began shooting on the highway because he thought he was being hunted by the police, Col Bill Ross said. The suspect had spent the last two years in jail, the colonel added.
“Mr Eaton was taken by Major Crimes detectives and Portland police officers to the Portland Police Department where he gave a confession and admitted to killing his parents and his parents’ friends – he admitted to killing his parents David and Cynthia and their friends Robert and Patricia in the residence at 1459 Augusta Road,” he said.
“He had also admitted that he shot vehicles on Interstate 295 because he thought he [was] being followed by police officers,” Col Ross said.
Friend discovered victims after several contact attempts
Wednesday 19 April 2023 23:30 , Gustaf Kilander
Col Bill Ross said that “a few days ago, he was released from Windham Correctional Center, where he was serving about two years for aggravated assault. He was picked up I believe on April 14 at the Windham correctional facility by his mother Cynthia and they drove to the residence in Bowdoin where the murders occurred”.
The authorities didn’t specify when the killings took place – a friend of the Egers discovered the bodies after making several attempts to contact the couple and eventually went over to check in on them.
When asked about the suspect’s living arrangements, Col Ross said, “He’s been in jail for two years and [on] April 14 of this year his mother picked him up at the Wyndham Correctional Facility”.
He added that “his parents were involved in his accommodations”.
Maine shooting spree: What we know about the deadly attacks on a home and highway
Thursday 20 April 2023 00:00 , Rachel Sharp
Seven people were shot – four of them fatally – when a gunman embarked on a shooting spree across two different locations in Maine on Tuesday.
The horror incident first began at a home in Bowdoin where four victims were found dead before police were called to reports of a random shooting at cars on a nearby highway in Yarmouth.
Suspect Joseph Eaton, a 34-year-old convicted felon who was released from prison just days earlier, was arrested and charged with murder. Among the four victims shot dead in Maine were the suspect’s parents.
Now, the victims, their families and the communities of Bowdoin and Yarmouth are the latest to join a growing list impacted by gun violence in America.
Here’s what we know so far:
What we know about the Maine shooting spree on a home and highway
The shooting
Thursday 20 April 2023 00:45 , Gustaf Kilander
Maine State Police said that officers were called to a house in the town of Bowdoin on Tuesday morning to find four victims dead from gunshot wounds.
The suspect has been charged with four counts of murder after reportedly shooting and killing his father David Eaton, 66; his mother Cynthia Eaton, 62; and their friends Robert Eger, 72; and Patricia Eger, 62.
The suspect left the Maine Correctional Center in Windham on Friday when he was picked up by his mother, according to the state authorities.
The shooting took place at the home of the Egers. Three of the bodies were found inside the home, while Mr Eaton’s father was found at the property in a “non-attached garage,” according to the authorities.
Who is Joseph Eaton? Everything we know about Maine shooting spree suspect
Thursday 20 April 2023 01:30 , Rachel Sharp
Two communities in Maine were rocked this week when suspected gunman Joseph Eaton suddenly embarked on a shooting rampage – first at a home and then along an interstate.
Maine State Police said that officers were called to a house in the town of Bowdoin on Tuesday morning to find four victims dead from gunshot wounds.
Not long after the grim discovery was made, an assailant randomly opened fire on cars driving along Interstate 295 in nearby Yarmouth.
Three people were shot in the second attack – with one of them now in critical condition.
The alleged gunman was taken into custody on the scene.
Here’s what we know so far about Joseph Eaton:
What we know about Maine shooting spree suspect Joseph Eaton
Who is Joseph Eaton?
Thursday 20 April 2023 02:15 , Rachel Sharp
Joseph Eaton, 34, was arrested over the two incidents – which are believed to be connected.
He was charged with four counts of murder over the victims in the home and is being held at Two Bridges Regional Jail.
He has not yet been charged over the highway shootings.
He will make an initial court appearance on Thursday, police said.
The suspect has been charged with four counts of murder after reportedly shooting and killing his father David Eaton, 66; his mother Cynthia Eaton, 62; and their friends Robert Eger, 72; and Patricia Eger, 62.
The suspect left the Maine Correctional Center in Windham on Friday when he was picked up by his mother, according to the state authorities.
Eaton’s lengthy criminal record
Thursday 20 April 2023 03:00 , Gustaf Kilander
Mr Eaton has a lengthy rap sheet going back more than a decade before Tuesday’s shooting spree and was only released from prison four days before Tuesday’s attack.
Past convictions include burglary, felony aggravated assault, domestic violence and violence against a law enforcement officer, as well as possessing a weapon as a felon.
Mr Eaton was sentenced in March 2021, according to the director of governmental affairs for the Maine Department of Corrections, Anna Black. He had been serving a sentence after a probation violation, the state official said on Wednesday, the Associated Press reported.
While Mr Eaton has been charged with four counts of murder, he hasn’t yet been charged in connection to the highway shooting.
State records reveal that Mr Eaton has a criminal history which meant that he couldn’t legally own a firearm.
Mr Eaton’s criminal past begins in 2008 in Kansas when he was charged with burglary. He was sentenced in 2009 and released in 2010.
He was sentenced to three years behind bars in May 2018 after being charged with three counts of aggravated assault of a first responder in Nassau County, Florida.
Within a month of being released on 15 February 2021, he was sentenced on 1 March for an assault in Maine.
Chilling video shared by suspect
Thursday 20 April 2023 04:00 , Rachel Sharp
Mr Eaton shared an emotional video of himself online on Monday where he said that people think he is “just another f*** up” and complained about people who “claim to be Christian”.
In the footage, he is seen sitting in a car filming himself as he chokes up with tears and goes on a confusing ramble.
“I’m probably going to get emotional just talking about it,” he said.
“But a lot of people look at you and think ‘oh well there’s just another f*** up, another guy that can’t get his stuff together, treats people like s***’ and then they turn around and claim to be Christian.
“And you can’t forgive somebody or understand what they go through. You can’t give someone a second chance but you say you’re Christian. How does that make sense? Why can’t you just try to get to know the person again? What good’s it do to hate somebody? It destroys you.
Maine shooting suspect Joseph Eaton shot his parents and two others before opening fire on random highway
Thursday 20 April 2023 05:00 , Gustaf Kilander
Among the four victims shot dead in Maine were the suspect’s parents.
Joseph Eaton, 34, has been charged with four counts of murder after reportedly shooting and killing his father David Eaton, 66; his mother Cynthia Eaton, 62; and their friends Robert Eger, 72; and Patricia Eger, 62.
The suspect was released from prison just four days before he went on a rampage, shooting and killing those at the home and wounding another three people while driving down a highway.
The suspect left the Maine Correctional Center in Windham on Friday when he was picked up by his mother, according to the state authorities.
The shooting took place at the home of the Egers. Three of the bodies were found inside the home, while Mr Eaton’s father was found at the property in a “non-attached garage,” according to the authorities.
Read more:
Maine shooting suspect Joseph Eaton shot his parents and two others
Maine shooting suspect Joseph Eaton was released from prison four days before rampage
Thursday 20 April 2023 06:00 , Gustaf Kilander
The suspect in the Maine shootings was released from prison just four days before he allegedly went on a rampage, shooting and killing four people at a home and wounding another three people while driving down a highway.
Suspect Joseph Eaton, 34, left the Maine Correctional Center in Windham on Friday. He was sentenced in March 2021, according to the director of governmental affairs for the Maine Department of Corrections, Anna Black. He had been serving a sentence after a probation violation, the state official said on Wednesday, the Associated Press reported.
Following his 14 April release, Mr Eaton was arrested on Tuesday after four bodies were found in a home on Augusta Road in Bowdoin. The killings have been connected to the highway shooting in which three people were injured later on Tuesday about 20 miles away in Yarmouth.
While Mr Eaton has been charged with four counts of murder, he hasn’t yet been charged in connection to the highway shooting. One of those shot on the highway remained in critical condition on Wednesday.
State records reveal that Mr Eaton had a criminal history which meant that he couldn’t legally own a firearm.
Read more:
Maine shooting suspect Joseph Eaton was released from prison four days before rampage
Police: Maine man killed parents before firing on motorists
Thursday 20 April 2023 07:00 , AP
A man confessed to killing four people, including his parents, and then firing on motorists on a busy interstate highway, just days after being released from prison, police said Wednesday.
Mike Sauschuck, commissioner of the Maine Department of Public Safety, called the shootings of four people at a home in Bowdoin and then three more people on Interstate 295 to the south in Yarmouth “an attack on the soul of our state” that shook neighbors, law enforcement and the state at large.
“It’s a shock to everybody,” he told reporters in Augusta. “You want to naturally say, ‘That can’t be happening here in Maine.’ But the reality is these senseless acts can and do happen everywhere.”
The gunman, Joseph Eaton, 34, had been released April 14 from the Maine Correctional Center in Windham, where he was picked up by his mother after completing a sentence for aggravated assault, police said. That crime was serious enough to prevent him from possessing a gun in Maine. Over the past decade he has been charged with more than a half-dozen crimes.
The shootings began in the small town of Bowdoin, where four people were killed Tuesday, with three bodies discovered in a home and one in a barn, police said. The victims in Bowdoin were identified Wednesday as Joseph Eaton’s parents, Cynthia Eaton, 62, and David Eaton, 66, along with their friends, homeowners Robert Eger, 72, and Patricia Eger, 62, police said.
Several cars hit on highway but all injured were family in same vehicle
Thursday 20 April 2023 08:00 , AP
After Joseph Eaton fled the home, a chaotic scene developed on a highway over 20 miles (32 kilometers) away in Yarmouth, where shots were fired at moving vehicles, police said. Joseph Eaton later told police he was firing on cars because he thought he was being followed by law enforcement. Several vehicles were hit by gunfire but the three people injured were a family all in the same car: Sean Halsey, 51; Justin Halsey, 29; and Paige Halsey, 25, police said. Paige Halsey remained in critical condition, police said Wednesday.
The seven were the latest victims of mass shootings in the U.S., whose targets included a Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee; a bank in Louisville, Kentucky, and a Sweet Sixteen party in a small city in Alabama.
‘It’s finally over. There are so many people I can’t wait to see'
Thursday 20 April 2023 09:00 , AP
On the day he was released from prison, the man believed to be Joseph Eaton posted on Facebook that he was feeling thankful. “It’s finally over. There are so many people I can’t wait to see.”
Moss confirmed that state police were aware of the video, and that it’s part of their investigation. Joseph Eaton, who was living in Bowdoin, was charged with four counts of murder but was not immediately charged in the highway shootings, she said. He was jailed while awaiting a court appearance. It was unclear if he had an attorney to speak on his behalf, a jail official said Wednesday.
Police declined to release more information about the investigation into the shootings, which they described as ongoing. They declined to speculate on a possible motive or the weapon that was used. The origins and ownership of the firearms used remain unclear.
Police declined to comment on Eaton’s living arrangements after leaving prison beyond saying his parents were helping him with accommodations. Police also did not comment on whether drugs or mental illness played a role in the killings.
Maine shooting spree: What we know about the deadly attacks on a home and highway
Thursday 20 April 2023 10:00 , Rachel Sharp
Seven people were shot – four of them fatally – when a gunman embarked on a shooting spree across two different locations in Maine on Tuesday.
The horror incident first began at a home in Bowdoin where four victims were found dead before police were called to reports of a random shooting at cars on a nearby highway in Yarmouth.
Suspect Joseph Eaton, a 34-year-old convicted felon who was released from prison just days earlier, was arrested and charged with murder. Among the four victims shot dead in Maine were the suspect’s parents.
Now, the victims, their families and the communities of Bowdoin and Yarmouth are the latest to join a growing list impacted by gun violence in America.
Here’s what we know so far:
What we know about the Maine shooting spree on a home and highway
Joseph Eaton confessed to killing parents and couple
Thursday 20 April 2023 10:39 , Rachel Sharp
Maine shooting spree suspect Joseph Eaton, 34, confessed to killing his parents and another couple at a home before opening fire on an interstate.
On Tuesday, four people who were found shot dead at a home in Bowdoin.
Soon after, police responded to a gunman shooting at cars along Interstate 295 in Yarmouth – wounding three people.
Mr Eaton was taken into custody on the scene where police said he confesssed to carrying out the attacks.
Who is Joseph Eaton? Everything we know about Maine shooting spree suspect
Thursday 20 April 2023 11:00 , Rachel Sharp
Two communities in Maine were rocked this week when suspected gunman Joseph Eaton suddenly embarked on a shooting rampage – first at a home and then along an interstate.
Maine State Police said that officers were called to a house in the town of Bowdoin on Tuesday morning to find four victims dead from gunshot wounds.
Not long after the grim discovery was made, an assailant randomly opened fire on cars driving along Interstate 295 in nearby Yarmouth.
Three people were shot in the second attack – with one of them now in critical condition.
The alleged gunman was taken into custody on the scene.
Read more:
What we know about Maine shooting spree suspect Joseph Eaton
Paige Halsey: Update on victim’s condition
Thursday 20 April 2023 11:30 , Rachel Sharp
The three people injured in the highway shooting were named as Sean Halsey and his children, Justin Halsey and Paige Halsey.
Paige, 25, was in critical condition from the shooting.
However, on Wednesday, her father confirmed that her condition had improved and she is now able to breathe on her own.
“Everyone is currently making progress toward healing and we are optimistic for full recovery,” Sean Halsey told WMTW.
Maine shooting suspect Joseph Eaton shot his parents and two others before opening fire on random highway
Thursday 20 April 2023 12:00 , Gustaf Kilander
Among the four victims shot dead in Maine were the suspect’s parents.
Joseph Eaton, 34, has been charged with four counts of murder after reportedly shooting and killing his father David Eaton, 66; his mother Cynthia Eaton, 62; and their friends Robert Eger, 72; and Patricia Eger, 62.
The suspect was released from prison just four days before he went on a rampage, shooting and killing those at the home and wounding another three people while driving down a highway.
The suspect left the Maine Correctional Center in Windham on Friday when he was picked up by his mother, according to the state authorities.
The shooting took place at the home of the Egers. Three of the bodies were found inside the home, while Mr Eaton’s father was found at the property in a “non-attached garage,” according to the authorities.
Read more:
Maine shooting suspect Joseph Eaton shot his parents and two others
‘Neighbors were texting, shocked that it happened, and to them’
Thursday 20 April 2023 12:30 , Rachel Sharp
In Bowdoin, Denise Pride, 58, a neighbor, said one of the victims was famous for delivering baked goods to neighbors on holidays. “They were very kind people,” Pride said. “The neighbors were texting, shocked that it happened, and to them.”
A relative to the family shot on the highway, Ian Halsey of Bowdoinham, said that two of his cousins were shot and that his uncle suffered shrapnel injuries. None of the family knew the shooter, he said.
“They were just passersby in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he said of his family. “It’s horrible what happened.”
Maine shooting spree: What we know about the deadly attacks on a home and highway
Thursday 20 April 2023 13:00 , Rachel Sharp
Seven people were shot – four of them fatally – when a gunman embarked on a shooting spree across two different locations in Maine on Tuesday.
The horror incident first began at a home in Bowdoin where four victims were found dead before police were called to reports of a random shooting at cars on a nearby highway in Yarmouth.
Suspect Joseph Eaton, a 34-year-old convicted felon who was released from prison just days earlier, was arrested and charged with murder. Among the four victims shot dead in Maine were the suspect’s parents.
Now, the victims, their families and the communities of Bowdoin and Yarmouth are the latest to join a growing list impacted by gun violence in America.
Here’s what we know so far:
What we know about the Maine shooting spree on a home and highway
Joseph Eaton’s rap sheet revealed:
Thursday 20 April 2023 13:30 , Rachel Sharp
Joseph Eaton has a lengthy rap sheet going back more than a decade before Tuesday’s shooting spree and was only released from prison four days before Tuesday’s attack.
Past convictions include burglary, felony aggravated assault, domestic violence and violence against a law enforcement officer, as well as possessing a weapon as a felon.
Most recently, he was sentenced to eight months in prison for assault in March 2022. He was then returned to prison for violating his probation.
On Friday, he was released from Maine Correctional Center in Windham – just four days before he allegedly went on his killing rampage.
Based on his felony convictions, he also could not legally own a firearm.
Chilling video shared by suspect
Thursday 20 April 2023 14:00 , Rachel Sharp
Mr Eaton shared an emotional video of himself online on Monday where he said that people think he is “just another f*** up” and complained about people who “claim to be Christian”.
In the footage, he is seen sitting in a car filming himself as he chokes up with tears and goes on a confusing ramble.
“I’m probably going to get emotional just talking about it,” he said.
“But a lot of people look at you and think ‘oh well there’s just another f*** up, another guy that can’t get his stuff together, treats people like s***’ and then they turn around and claim to be Christian.
“And you can’t forgive somebody or understand what they go through. You can’t give someone a second chance but you say you’re Christian. How does that make sense? Why can’t you just try to get to know the person again? What good’s it do to hate somebody? It destroys you.
Paige Halsey: Update on victim’s condition
Thursday 20 April 2023 14:30 , Rachel Sharp
The three people injured in the highway shooting were named as Sean Halsey and his children, Justin Halsey and Paige Halsey.
Paige, 25, was in critical condition from the shooting.
However, on Wednesday, her father confirmed that her condition had improved and she is now able to breathe on her own.
“Everyone is currently making progress toward healing and we are optimistic for full recovery,” Sean Halsey told WMTW.
Joseph Eaton’s grandmother reacts to Maine shooting
Thursday 20 April 2023 15:00 , AP
Betty Fagan, Joseph Eaton’s grandmother and the mother of victim Cynthia Eaton, said her grandson had been dropped off at a beach and spent the weekend alone after being retrieved from prison.
The parents had come back to Maine but were planning to move to Kansas, where they’d lived previously, Fagan said.
She said she doesn’t understand what went wrong. “I couldn’t believe it. I just couldn’t believe he would do something like that,” Fagan said from her home in Ocala, Florida.
Police declined to comment on Joseph Eaton’s living arrangements after leaving prison beyond saying his parents were helping him with accommodations.
Police also did not comment on whether drugs or mental illness played a role in the killings.
Suspect charged with shooting 7 to appear in court in Maine
Thursday 20 April 2023 15:30 , AP
A Maine man who police say confessed to shooting seven people — killing four of them, including his parents — after being released from prison was due to appear before a judge Thursday.
Police have not discussed what might have been a motive behind the shootings on a rural property in Bowdoin and then along a busy interstate highway in Yarmouth, about 12 miles (19 kilometers) from Maine’s largest city, Portland.
The suspect, Joseph Eaton, has been jailed since his arrest Tuesday at a chaotic scene along Interstate 295, where traffic backed up as heavily armed law enforcement searched the area.
Eaton, 34, had been released four days before the shootings from the Maine Correctional Center in Windham. Police say his mother picked up from prison April 14 after he completed a sentence for aggravated assault.
The latest in a string of mass shootings in the United States began in the small town of Bowdoin, where four people were killed Tuesday, with three bodies discovered in a home and one in a barn, police said. The victims were identified as Joseph Eaton’s parents, Cynthia Eaton, 62, and David Eaton, 66, along with their friends, homeowners Robert Eger, 72, and Patricia Eger, 62, police said.
Read more:
Suspect charged with shooting 7 to appear in court in Maine
Joseph Eaton appears in court
Thursday 20 April 2023 15:32 , Gustaf Kilander
PHOTOS: Joseph Eaton in court for first time since killings
Thursday 20 April 2023 15:45 , Gustaf Kilander
Suspect Joseph Eaton appeared in court on Thursday for the first time since the bodies of the four victims, including his parents, were found on Tuesday.
During the short court appearance, the judge scheduled a conference for 28 June.
Chilling video shared by suspect
Thursday 20 April 2023 16:15 , Rachel Sharp
Mr Eaton shared an emotional video of himself online on Monday where he said that people think he is “just another f*** up” and complained about people who “claim to be Christian”.
In the footage, he is seen sitting in a car filming himself as he chokes up with tears and goes on a confusing ramble.
“I’m probably going to get emotional just talking about it,” he said.
“But a lot of people look at you and think ‘oh well there’s just another f*** up, another guy that can’t get his stuff together, treats people like s***’ and then they turn around and claim to be Christian.
“And you can’t forgive somebody or understand what they go through. You can’t give someone a second chance but you say you’re Christian. How does that make sense? Why can’t you just try to get to know the person again? What good’s it do to hate somebody? It destroys you.
Joseph Eaton’s rap sheet revealed
Thursday 20 April 2023 16:45 , Rachel Sharp
Joseph Eaton has a lengthy rap sheet going back more than a decade before Tuesday’s shooting spree and was only released from prison four days before Tuesday’s attack.
Past convictions include burglary, felony aggravated assault, domestic violence and violence against a law enforcement officer, as well as possessing a weapon as a felon.
Most recently, he was sentenced to eight months in prison for assault in March 2022. He was then returned to prison for violating his probation.
On Friday, he was released from Maine Correctional Center in Windham – just four days before he allegedly went on his killing rampage.
Based on his felony convictions, he also could not legally own a firearm.
‘Neighbors were texting, shocked that it happened, and to them’
Thursday 20 April 2023 17:15 , Rachel Sharp
In Bowdoin, Denise Pride, 58, a neighbor, said one of the victims was famous for delivering baked goods to neighbors on holidays. “They were very kind people,” Pride said. “The neighbors were texting, shocked that it happened, and to them.”
A relative to the family shot on the highway, Ian Halsey of Bowdoinham, said that two of his cousins were shot and that his uncle suffered shrapnel injuries. None of the family knew the shooter, he said.
“They were just passersby in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he said of his family. “It’s horrible what happened.”
Maine shooting suspect Joseph Eaton left note about being ‘free’ after killing parents, two others and a dog
Thursday 20 April 2023 17:45 , Gustaf Kilander
Court records in the Maine shooting spree revealed the grisly crime scene discovered by police called to the scene after suspect Joseph Eaton allegedly shot and killed four people, including his parents and their two friends.
Mr Eaton has confessed to the killings in Bowdoin, Maine. He was detained on Tuesday after opening fire while driving down a highway 20 miles away in Yarmouth, injuring three people.
The suspect appeared in court in West Bath on Thursday, his first appearance since the killings.
He was only released from prison on Friday and has now been charged with four counts of intentional or knowing murder.
The victims, who all died of gunshot wounds, include his parents Cynthia Eaton, 62 and David Eaton, 66, and their friends Robert Eager, 72 and Patti Eager, 62.
Read more:
Maine suspect Joseph Eaton left note about being ‘free’ after killing parents
Joseph Eaton’s grandmother reacts to horror Maine shooting spree as motive remains a mystery
Thursday 20 April 2023 17:45 , Gustaf Kilander
The grandmother of Maine shooting suspect Joseph Eaton has reacted to his arrest after he allegedly confessed to killing four people, including his own parents.
Betty Fagan lost her daughter Cynthia Eaton in the shooting, who was the mother of the suspect. Police have not yet commented on a motive for the killings, after which Mr Eaton allegedly opened fire on an interstate.
Ms Eaton had picked up her son from prison on 14 April when he was released after serving a term for aggravated assault.
Ms Eaton and her husband David Eaton, the father of the suspect, were found shot dead at a home in Bowdoin on Tuesday morning along with their friends Robert and Patricia Eger.
Ms Fagan, who lives in Ocala, Florida, said her grandson was taken to a beach after being released from prison, and that he had spent the weekend on his own.
Read more:
Joseph Eaton’s grandmother reacts to horror Maine shooting spree
Who is Joseph Eaton? Everything we know about Maine shooting spree suspect
Thursday 20 April 2023 18:15 , Rachel Sharp
Two communities in Maine were rocked this week when suspected gunman Joseph Eaton suddenly embarked on a shooting rampage – first at a home and then along an interstate.
Maine State Police said that officers were called to a house in the town of Bowdoin on Tuesday morning to find four victims dead from gunshot wounds.
Not long after the grim discovery was made, an assailant randomly opened fire on cars driving along Interstate 295 in nearby Yarmouth.
Three people were shot in the second attack – with one of them now in critical condition. The alleged gunman was taken into custody on the scene.
Read more:
What we know about Maine shooting spree suspect Joseph Eaton
PHOTOS: Eaton appears in court
Thursday 20 April 2023 18:45 , Gustaf Kilander
Court records reveal grisly scene cops encountered
Thursday 20 April 2023 19:15 , Gustaf Kilander
The court records outline the scene that police encountered on Augusta Road on Tuesday morning.
The documents state that Patti’s sister visited the home at about 9am, finding drops of blood near the door, WABI reported.
Inside, she discovered a number of guns and bullet holes. She exited the home and called 911.
Police said on Wednesday that they found one victim in a barn and three others in the home. Court documents reveal that a dog was also shot at the scene.
Detectives searching the area also discovered a note stating that someone had been molested and that “there was nothing done about it”.
The note also stated that someone had been freed of pain and that the author of the note wanted “a new life”.
Father of highway shooting victim says she’s on the mend
Thursday 20 April 2023 19:45 , Gustaf Kilander
After police arrived at the murder scene on Tuesday morning, law enforcement responded to the highway shooting where Sean Halsey, 51, and his two children, Justin, 29, and Paige, 25, had all been shot.
They were all transported to Maine Medical Center.
The father and son suffered injuries not considered life-threatening while Ms Halsey was in critical condition. Mr Halsey said on Wednesday afternoon that his daughter’s breathing tube had been removed and that she was on the road to recovery.
Timeline of killings and weapons used unclear
Thursday 20 April 2023 20:15 , Gustaf Kilander
While police have said that Mr Eaton has confessed to the shootings, they haven’t revealed when the victims were killed. It’s also unclear how the suspect got ahold of the weapon or weapons used.
Following felony convictions in Maine and in Florida, where his parents were living, Mr Eaton was unable to legally own firearms.
Police have said that Ms Eaton picked up her son at the Maine Correctional Center in Windham on Friday where he had just finished serving a sentence after being convicted of assault. The mother reportedly took him to the home of the Egers where they had been staying, according to the Bangor Daily News.
Sister of homeowner found blood, broken glass, and ‘bullet holes everywhere'
Thursday 20 April 2023 20:45 , Gustaf Kilander
The Thursday release of the affidavit revealed that Ms Eger’s sister told the authorities that she texted Ms Eger at about 8.30am on Tuesday to say that she would be at their house at about 9am that morning but she never got a response.
The sister had been staying at the home but had left to allow the Eatons to stay there while they collected their son from prison. She said she was going back to collect some clothing she had left behind, according to WMTW.
When she arrived at the house, the sister saw two drops of blood on the front steps of the house.
She opened the front door and called out but didn’t get a reply. She then spotted broken glass and blood on the floor in addition to a body covered by a towel on the kitchen floor.
The sister said she couldn’t tell if it was Mr Eger or David Eaton as they had similar appearances, but going off his clothing, she guessed it was Mr Eger.
She said she saw “bullet holes everywhere,” according to the legal filing.
She left when she saw drag marks throughout the home, waiting outside until police arrived.
Bodys covered in home as molestation note left on kitchen island
Thursday 20 April 2023 21:15 , Gustaf Kilander
The note was found on the kitchen island, but it wasn’t addressed to anyone or signed by the author, the affidavit states. The legal document said that the note “said someone had been molested there and there was nothing done about it. The note mentioned someone being freed from pain and the writer wanted a new life”.
In a video shared on Facebook on Monday, Mr Eaton said he had been molested as a child.
The other two bodies in the home, likely those of Ms Eaton and Ms Eger had been covered, like the body of Mr Eger. The fourth body, reportedly that of Mr Eaton, was found in a barn on the property.
The court filing states that police found several firearms in the home.
Justice orders Eaton be held without bail
Thursday 20 April 2023 21:45 , Gustaf Kilander
When he appeared in court on Thursday, the suspect was dressed in orange inmate clothing as well as a bulletproof vest.
Superior Court Justice Daniel Billings asked the suspect if he understood the charges he’s facing, which he said he did. The suspect wasn’t requested to enter a plea since he hasn’t yet been indicted by a grand jury in Sagadahoc County.
The justice ordered that Mr Eaton be held without bail. Maine law states that bail isn’t available to those facing charges of murder, the Bangor Daily News noted.
Justice Billings added that the suspect must undergo a psychiatric evaluation to ascertain if he can be a part of his own defence. Mr Eaton is set to appear in court again on 28 June.
Maine shooting spree: What we know about the deadly attacks on a home and highway
Thursday 20 April 2023 22:15 , Rachel Sharp and Gustaf Kilander
Seven people were shot – four of them fatally – when a gunman embarked on a shooting spree across two different locations in Maine on Tuesday.
The horror incident first began at a home in Bowdoin where four victims were found dead before police were called to reports of a random shooting at cars on a nearby highway in Yarmouth.
Suspect Joseph Eaton, a 34-year-old convicted felon who was released from prison just days earlier, was arrested and charged with murder. Among the four victims shot dead in Maine were the suspect’s parents.
Now, the victims, their families and the communities of Bowdoin and Yarmouth are the latest to join a growing list impacted by gun violence in America.
Here’s what we know so far:
What we know about the Maine shooting spree on a home and highway
Who is Joseph Eaton? Everything we know about Maine shooting spree suspect
Thursday 20 April 2023 22:45 , Rachel Sharp and Gustaf Kilander
Two communities in Maine were rocked by gun violence when suspected gunman Joseph Eaton suddenly embarked on a shooting rampage – first at a home and then along an interstate.
Maine State Police said that officers were called to a house in the town of Bowdoin on 18 April morning to find four victims dead from gunshot wounds.
Not long after the grim discovery was made, an assailant randomly opened fire on cars driving along Interstate 295 in nearby Yarmouth.
Three people were shot in the second attack. The alleged gunman was taken into custody on the scene.
Here’s what we know so far about Joseph Eaton:
What we know about Maine shooting spree suspect Joseph Eaton
Maine shooting suspect Joseph Eaton left note about being ‘free’ after killing parents, two others and a dog
Thursday 20 April 2023 23:15 , Gustaf Kilander
Court records in the Maine shooting spree revealed the grisly crime scene discovered by police called to the scene after suspect Joseph Eaton allegedly shot and killed four people, including his parents and their two friends.
Mr Eaton has reportedly confessed to the killings in Bowdoin, Maine. He was detained on Tuesday after allegedly opening fire while driving down a highway 20 miles away in Yarmouth, injuring three people.
The suspect appeared in court in West Bath on Thursday, his first appearance since the killings.
He was only released from prison on Friday after serving a term for separate offences and has now been charged with four counts of intentional or knowing murder.
The victims, who all died of gunshot wounds, include his parents Cynthia Eaton, 62 and David Eaton, 66, and their friends Robert Eger, 72 and Patricia Eger, 62.
Read more:
Maine suspect Joseph Eaton left note about being ‘free’ after killing parents
Joseph Eaton’s grandmother reacts to horror Maine shooting spree as motive remains a mystery
Thursday 20 April 2023 23:45 , Gustaf Kilander
The grandmother of Maine shooting suspect Joseph Eaton has reacted to his arrest after he allegedly confessed to killing four people, including his own parents.
Betty Fagan lost her daughter Cynthia Eaton in the shooting, who was the mother of the suspect. Police have not yet commented on a motive for the killings, after which Mr Eaton allegedly opened fire on an interstate.
Ms Eaton had picked up her son from prison on 14 April when he was released after serving a term for aggravated assault.
Ms Eaton and her husband David Eaton, the father of the suspect, were found shot dead at a home in Bowdoin on Tuesday morning along with their friends Robert and Patricia Eger.
Ms Fagan said the suspect’s parents had returned to Maine but that they were planning to move to Kansas, where they had previously lived.
Read more:
Joseph Eaton’s grandmother reacts to horror Maine shooting spree
Court documents describe grisly discovery in Maine shootings
Friday 21 April 2023 00:15 , AP
A sister who discovered a crime scene in which four people were shot to death arrived to broken glass, bullet holes, blood and guns strewn about the home, and the suspect was later arrested at the scene of a highway shooting with what appeared to be blood on him, according to state police.
Police found multiple cartridge casings of varying calibers in the vehicle driven by the suspect after shots were fired at vehicles along Interstate 295, wounding three people, state police said.
A state police affidavit released Thursday as the suspect, Joseph Eaton, made his first court appearance contained grisly details, a note found at the scene and a timeline for the events. Eaton showed no emotion during the brief hearing other than to acknowledge to the judge that he understood the charges.
One of his court-appointed attorneys, James Mason, acknowledged after the hearing that the shootings shook the state.
“What happened in Bowdoin is undeniably tragic. But I ask everybody to please reserve judgement,” he said.
‘This is a horrible crime, unimaginable loss being faced by the victims'
01:00 , AP
Assistant Attorney General Leanne Robbins said the next step for law enforcement is to complete the investigation and present the case to a grand jury while victim advocates provide support to family and friends of the victims.
“This is a horrible crime, unimaginable loss being faced by the victims, and our hearts go out to the victims,” Robbins said.
Police have yet to discuss what might have been a motive behind the shootings on a rural property in Bowdoin and then along a busy interstate highway about 12 miles (19 kilometers) from Maine’s largest city, Portland. Police also have not discussed what gun or guns were used, or how Eaton obtained them.
Eaton, 34, has been jailed since his arrest Tuesday at a chaotic scene along Interstate 295, where traffic backed up as heavily armed law enforcement searched the area.
Police say Eaton confessed to killing four people, including his parents, in Bowdoin and wounding three people while shooting at vehicles. Eaton is charged with four counts of murder for the killings in Bowdoin but has not yet been charged in the highway shootings, officials said.
Court records reveal grisly scene cops encountered
01:45 , Gustaf Kilander
The court records outline the scene that police encountered on Augusta Road on Tuesday morning.
The documents state that Patti’s sister visited the home at about 9am, finding drops of blood near the door, WABI reported.
Inside, she discovered a number of guns and bullet holes. She exited the home and called 911.
Police said on Wednesday that they found one victim in a barn and three others in the home. Court documents reveal that a dog was also shot at the scene.
Detectives searching the area also discovered a note stating that someone had been molested and that “there was nothing done about it”.
The note also stated that someone had been freed of pain and that the author of the note wanted “a new life”.
‘Being molested and stuff, you know, it destroys somebody'
02:15 , AP
A state police affidavit indicated the discovery of the deaths in Bowdoin was made by Patricia Eger’s sister, who first noticed something was amiss when she saw blood on the steps leading into the home and then saw the carnage and a body. The affidavit noted all bodies were covered and that the family dog had been killed as well.
Investigators who arrived on the scene discovered an unsigned note on an island in the kitchen that referenced that someone had been molested, nothing was done about it and the writer wanted to be freed of pain.
The day before the shooting, a man believed to be Joseph Eaton posted an anguished live video on social media that referenced trauma including molestation. “Being molested and stuff, you know, it destroys somebody,” the man said. He also criticized people who call themselves Christians but are unwilling to forgive.
Woman, 25, critically wounded in highway shooting
02:30 , AP
The suspect had been released four days before the shootings from the Maine Correctional Center in Windham. Police say his mother picked up from prison April 14 after he completed a sentence for aggravated assault.
The latest in a string of mass shootings in the United States began in the small town of Bowdoin, where four people were killed Tuesday, with three bodies discovered in a home and one in a barn, police said. The victims were identified as Joseph Eaton’s parents, Cynthia Eaton, 62, and David Eaton, 66, along with homeowners Robert Eger, 72, and Patricia Eger, 62, police said. The two couples were described as best friends.
Police previously said Eaton told them he began firing on several cars along I-295 soon thereafter because he thought he was being followed by police. Bullets struck a family in one of the vehicles, wounding Sean Halsey, 51; Justin Halsey, 29; and Paige Halsey, 25, police said. Paige Halsey was critically wounded, police said.
Father of highway shooting victim says she’s on the mend
03:15 , Gustaf Kilander
After police arrived at the murder scene on Tuesday morning, law enforcement responded to the highway shooting where Sean Halsey, 51, and his two children, Justin, 29, and Paige, 25, had all been shot.
They were all transported to Maine Medical Center.
The father and son suffered injuries not considered life-threatening while Ms Halsey was in critical condition. Mr Halsey said on Wednesday afternoon that his daughter’s breathing tube had been removed and that she was on the road to recovery.
Timeline of killings and weapons used unclear
04:00 , Gustaf Kilander
While police have said that Mr Eaton has confessed to the shootings, they haven’t revealed when the victims were killed. It’s also unclear how the suspect got ahold of the weapon or weapons used.
Following felony convictions in Maine and in Florida, where his parents were living, Mr Eaton was unable to legally own firearms.
Police have said that Ms Eaton picked up her son at the Maine Correctional Center in Windham on Friday where he had just finished serving a sentence after being convicted of assault. The mother reportedly took him to the home of the Egers where they had been staying, according to the Bangor Daily News.
Sister of homeowner found blood, broken glass, and ‘bullet holes everywhere'
05:00 , Gustaf Kilander
The Thursday release of the affidavit revealed that Ms Eger’s sister told the authorities that she texted Ms Eger at about 8.30am on Tuesday to say that she would be at their house at about 9am that morning but she never got a response.
The sister had been staying at the home but had left to allow the Eatons to stay there while they collected their son from prison. She said she was going back to collect some clothing she had left behind, according to WMTW.
When she arrived at the house, the sister saw two drops of blood on the front steps of the house.
She opened the front door and called out but didn’t get a reply. She then spotted broken glass and blood on the floor in addition to a body covered by a towel on the kitchen floor.
The sister said she couldn’t tell if it was Mr Eger or David Eaton as they had similar appearances, but going off his clothing, she guessed it was Mr Eger.
She said she saw “bullet holes everywhere,” according to the legal filing.
She left when she saw drag marks throughout the home, waiting outside until police arrived.
Bodys covered in home as molestation note left on kitchen island
07:00 , Gustaf Kilander
The note was found on the kitchen island, but it wasn’t addressed to anyone or signed by the author, the affidavit states. The legal document said that the note “said someone had been molested there and there was nothing done about it. The note mentioned someone being freed from pain and the writer wanted a new life”.
In a video shared on Facebook on Monday, Mr Eaton said he had been molested as a child.
The other two bodies in the home, likely those of Ms Eaton and Ms Eger had been covered, like the body of Mr Eger. The fourth body, reportedly that of Mr Eaton, was found in a barn on the property.
The court filing states that police found several firearms in the home.
Justice orders Eaton be held without bail
08:00 , Gustaf Kilander
When he appeared in court on Thursday, the suspect was dressed in orange inmate clothing as well as a bulletproof vest.
Superior Court Justice Daniel Billings asked the suspect if he understood the charges he’s facing, which he said he did. The suspect wasn’t requested to enter a plea since he hasn’t yet been indicted by a grand jury in Sagadahoc County.
The justice ordered that Mr Eaton be held without bail. Maine law states that bail isn’t available to those facing charges of murder, the Bangor Daily News noted.
Justice Billings added that the suspect must undergo a psychiatric evaluation to ascertain if he can be a part of his own defence. Mr Eaton is set to appear in court again on 28 June.
Maine shooting spree: What we know about the deadly attacks on a home and highway
09:00 , Rachel Sharp and Gustaf Kilander
Seven people were shot – four of them fatally – when a gunman embarked on a shooting spree across two different locations in Maine on Tuesday.
The horror incident first began at a home in Bowdoin where four victims were found dead before police were called to reports of a random shooting at cars on a nearby highway in Yarmouth.
Suspect Joseph Eaton, a 34-year-old convicted felon who was released from prison just days earlier, was arrested and charged with murder. Among the four victims shot dead in Maine were the suspect’s parents.
Now, the victims, their families and the communities of Bowdoin and Yarmouth are the latest to join a growing list impacted by gun violence in America.
Here’s what we know so far:
What we know about the Maine shooting spree on a home and highway
Who is Joseph Eaton? Everything we know about Maine shooting spree suspect
10:00 , Rachel Sharp and Gustaf Kilander
Two communities in Maine were rocked by gun violence when suspected gunman Joseph Eaton suddenly embarked on a shooting rampage – first at a home and then along an interstate.
Maine State Police said that officers were called to a house in the town of Bowdoin on 18 April morning to find four victims dead from gunshot wounds.
Not long after the grim discovery was made, an assailant randomly opened fire on cars driving along Interstate 295 in nearby Yarmouth.
Three people were shot in the second attack. The alleged gunman was taken into custody on the scene.
Here’s what we know so far about Joseph Eaton:
What we know about Maine shooting spree suspect Joseph Eaton
Maine shooting suspect Joseph Eaton left note about being ‘free’ after killing parents, two others and a dog
11:00 , Gustaf Kilander
Court records in the Maine shooting spree revealed the grisly crime scene discovered by police called to the scene after suspect Joseph Eaton allegedly shot and killed four people, including his parents and their two friends.
Mr Eaton has reportedly confessed to the killings in Bowdoin, Maine. He was detained on Tuesday after allegedly opening fire while driving down a highway 20 miles away in Yarmouth, injuring three people.
The suspect appeared in court in West Bath on Thursday, his first appearance since the killings.
He was only released from prison on Friday after serving a term for separate offences and has now been charged with four counts of intentional or knowing murder.
The victims, who all died of gunshot wounds, include his parents Cynthia Eaton, 62 and David Eaton, 66, and their friends Robert Eger, 72 and Patricia Eger, 62.
Read more:
Maine suspect Joseph Eaton left note about being ‘free’ after killing parents
Joseph Eaton’s grandmother reacts to horror Maine shooting spree as motive remains a mystery
12:00 , Gustaf Kilander
The grandmother of Maine shooting suspect Joseph Eaton has reacted to his arrest after he allegedly confessed to killing four people, including his own parents.
Betty Fagan lost her daughter Cynthia Eaton in the shooting, who was the mother of the suspect. Police have not yet commented on a motive for the killings, after which Mr Eaton allegedly opened fire on an interstate.
Ms Eaton had picked up her son from prison on 14 April when he was released after serving a term for aggravated assault.
Ms Eaton and her husband David Eaton, the father of the suspect, were found shot dead at a home in Bowdoin on Tuesday morning along with their friends Robert and Patricia Eger.
Ms Fagan said the suspect’s parents had returned to Maine but that they were planning to move to Kansas, where they had previously lived.
Read more:
Joseph Eaton’s grandmother reacts to horror Maine shooting spree
Court records reveal grisly scene cops encountered
13:00 , Gustaf Kilander
The court records outline the scene that police encountered on Augusta Road on Tuesday morning.
The documents state that Patti’s sister visited the home at about 9am, finding drops of blood near the door, WABI reported.
Inside, she discovered a number of guns and bullet holes. She exited the home and called 911.
Police said on Wednesday that they found one victim in a barn and three others in the home. Court documents reveal that a dog was also shot at the scene.
Detectives searching the area also discovered a note stating that someone had been molested and that “there was nothing done about it”.
The note also stated that someone had been freed of pain and that the author of the note wanted “a new life”.
Father of highway shooting victim says she’s on the mend
14:00 , Gustaf Kilander
After police arrived at the murder scene on Tuesday morning, law enforcement responded to the highway shooting where Sean Halsey, 51, and his two children, Justin, 29, and Paige, 25, had all been shot.
They were all transported to Maine Medical Center.
The father and son suffered injuries not considered life-threatening while Ms Halsey was in critical condition. Mr Halsey said on Wednesday afternoon that his daughter’s breathing tube had been removed and that she was on the road to recovery.
