Police are investigating the death of an 82-year-old Maine man, attacked in his front yard by an ‘unknown assailant’
James Pearson is being remembered as a pillar of his community in Scarborough, Maine.
Maine authorities are investigating the murder of an 82-year-old man in Scarborough, who police say was attacked in his front yard by an “unknown assailant” on Sunday morning. James Pearson was attacked around 8:15 a.m. outside his home at 193 Beech Road and taken to Maine Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, state police said. As of Monday morning, no suspect information or motive had been released by police. “Residents are being asked by police to maintain awareness of their surroundings and to report any unusual activities, as police continue to investigate the death,” police said. “Anyone with information regarding this case are asked to contact Maine State Police at 207-624-7076 or Scarborough Police at 207-883-6361.”Police said during a press conference that Pearson did not know his attacker and the 82-year-old’s wife, Nancy, was at home during the assault, the Portland Press Herald reports. He was still alive when she tried to help him and reached out to family members who called 911. The location of the Pearson home shares an address with Beech Ridge Farm, a Christmas tree farm owned by the couple. According to the farm website, the Pearsons founded the farm in 1969. “The farm was in a serious state of disrepair and required significant work before the Pearsons were able to move into the farmhouse,” the website reads. “During the renovations, Jim was gainfully employed by Gorham High School teaching industrial arts, graphics arts and drafting while Nancy opened the original store selling Carter brand animal foods.”In 1986, the couple started running the property as a Christmas tree farm. According to the business’s Facebook page, the farm sold out of Christmas trees on Dec. 1 and has been closed since. According to News Center Maine, the 82-year-old’s daughter, Mary Pearson, is a longtime member of the Scarborough Police Department. “A truly senseless murder of a well known and respected man; a shining example of the best of us and a loss to so many,” the Maine Association of Police wrote on Facebook, expressing condolences to the Pearson family. “There can be no doubt that Jim Pearson will be missed and leave a tremendous tear in the fabric of our communities.”
https://www.facebook.com/MaineAssociationofPolice/photos/a.611124692256128/2524052980963280/?type=3&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARB9VBCDTkgclledCo1NVEL1ctsfmJdseuyZJLpvNBSlTqun1RQYVm_x3cC1gKENaMM7FRj7Wc9657AxmvH691I3BceTNaUbQou029z08eAzY5MFFMJFSK4dIyEdWGHBEOjKiYRt9l6XuqcP6IjVgKnajGQ-yRw_xcWTgyDHbcfVSGyBD5JNbTnSCTtTVQaZ_N4wiBsMUMfHxyCZR_Un2GwEg-eBBwb3EhBmoXHClrTPswW0PHKWg7HzPNPGpuy7Mpp4erlePImudeyshFWWSAi-P3nSfRdSTWWFPT3AprQ55o87tm2fKfn48rogdGP6juiqGCdAAX58hNeaz0RtukbMTg&__tn__=-R
Scarborough police extended their condolences to the family on Facebook and urged the community to be on the lookout for anything suspicious.
https://www.facebook.com/ScarboroughPD/posts/10159119838717589?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARCZbqry0R9tabMtIVCeWza4bdTn5UWMoq2tLO8ayu_qSNwqHy-9RlKtNjxtebyBxU4ZPVW_EXEfcukrLptfDUZaPnuLkbuog3rp3wDguPhLjiDe0TSvbB4aDIbe__N_6cKp4Db5QcoCSasW-1kx8uIounIvunLCtJwAlWns5GQgqEZ7kseUa0hR00lYpKWS9UPDC0usGLBPf8m4vplUeiXnBSp5DXZoI8EP32bWJurNhaO0h9pV6Rf5PEqGHDZsPZhCKtmwSjucrGkfH04dyg5hF2-59TjYspT4d0xtTkXRRiBP-qjhtw-7Uh4UNyV500qdQ9qcuP86W9m2&__tn__=-R
“I know that this is a scary time for people and I realize that people would like to know all that is going on,” Chief Robbie Moulton wrote. “I can assure you that our public safety family is working hard around the clock to keep our community safe and to hold the responsible parties accountable.”
https://www.facebook.com/ScarboroughPD/posts/10159121351607589?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARCVFEX9xIC9pwzVfAfU-44c2v4s1cuZbX7kesM2fDEznUd75Urs9627dh_5P7u06idjR7O0PgQdzmiF2QW-FoNIrrn3F1vLREuNRh1jt2JeQuZm9G0kY9MYTKyFVWZP2b5sO79fZwO74XPby7vwAcHHDGhhZ8k8Umt1AwhCj_XlR4kC1kJDR3Fv3JZMk1qGgigM3GqQJAWjWQcKVhQaT52scWIPUe6c0JXIZzOhx5XCNea3pSq6BjxhD7prYC6Qi9D_LFir7d1-FOo4vOVjtoeIx899B98bgo4VTimITDF0TO5k7ZqLODDyXaVwSEIBaKiIkFFGiIh_gzgD&__tn__=-R
The Scarborough community has reacted with shock and sorrow to the death of Pearson, holding a vigil Sunday night in the parking lot of the town high school, according to WGME.
Glenn Cummings, who taught with Pearson in the ’80s at Gorham High School, told the station the 82-year-old was a popular member of the community who kept in touch with many of his former students.
“This is a real tragedy,” Cummings said. “It is a loss of a good man and a true Mainer. He was someone with a deep soul who cared about all the right things in life.”
The former teacher and tree farmer represented the spirit of “Old Maine,” Becky Delaware, who knew Pearson through her work at the town’s historical society, told the Press Herald.
“He worked hard to make a go of what he had, but he wouldn’t hesitate to lend somebody else a hand,” she told the newspaper. “And that’s part of why this thing is so weird and horrible.”
Jim Flaherty, a friend and neighbor, told the Press Herald that he didn’t know anyone who didn’t like the 82-year-old.
“I can’t believe it,” he told the newspaper. “I can’t believe anyone would want to hurt him.”
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