A Maine man recently released from prison confessed to quadruple murder of parents and friends, state police say
By Steve Almasy and Sara Smart, CNN
A 34-year-old man who had recently been released from prison shot and killed his parents and two others Tuesday morning at a home in Bowdoin, Maine, and then wounded three other people as he drove on an interstate highway, authorities said Wednesday.
Joseph Eaton was released from prison Friday after serving two years of his sentence for aggravated assault, according to Maine State Police Col. William Ross.
According to a news release and Ross, the suspect confessed to killing his parents and their friends and fired at vehicles he thought were carrying officers who were following him on the highway.
Ross identified the deceased victims as Robert Eger, 72; Patricia Eger, 62; Cynthia Eaton, 62; and David Eaton, 66. The body of David Eaton was found in a barn near the home, while the bodies of the Egers and Cynthia Eaton were discovered in the house, Ross said.
A family member who grew concerned about the people who owned the home went to the house, found one of the bodies and called 911 at 9:21 a.m., authorities said. Deputies from the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s arrived about 20 minutes later and found the other victims, authorities added.
Ross said the law enforcement response to Tuesday’s shootings was “probably one of the most dynamic, certainly criminal investigations, crimes in progress that we’ve seen in Maine if not in recent times, ever.”
Around 10:30 a.m., police officers and troopers responded to reports of shots fired on I-295 southbound. Joseph Eaton was found in the woods near an off ramp where the vehicle he was believed to have been driving had been parked, Ross said.
One of the three wounded victims — Paige Halsey, 25 — is in critical condition while the other two — Sean Halsey, 52, and Justin Halsey, 29 — had non-life-threatening injuries, Ross told reporters.
Authorities said they are confident Eaton acted alone.
Eaton was taken to Two Bridges Regional Jail and will make an initial court appearance later in the week, state police said in a Tuesday evening news release. Officials said Wednesday that for the moment Eaton is only accused of the killings.
CNN has not yet been able to identify an attorney for Eaton.
In a statement on Twitter, Maine Gov. Janet Mills said, “Like people across Maine, I am shocked and deeply saddened — acts of violence like we experienced today shake our state and our communities to the core.”
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CNN’s Michelle Watson and Christina Maxouris contributed to this report.
