Scarborough police chief pens letter to community after arrest in murder of 82-year-old tree farmer
“This has been a tragic loss to our community, our public safety family, and especially to the Pearson family.”
The police chief in Scarborough, Maine, wrote a letter thanking the town community for the support and patience expressed after the murder of a beloved Christmas tree farmer.
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The letter came after police announced Tuesday that an arrest had been made in the Sunday killing of 82-year-old James Pearson. Police said 22-year-old Quinton Hanna, of Freeport, was arrested and charged with Pearson’s murder.
“This has been a tragic loss to our community, our public safety family, and especially to the Pearson family,” Chief Robbie Moulton wrote on Facebook following the announcement of the arrest. “I want the public to know that I fully recognize that this has been a very difficult and scary situation.”
Authorities said Hanna attacked Pearson around 8:15 a.m. on Sunday, outside the 82-year-old’s home at 193 Beech Road in Scarborough, stabbing him to death. Pearson’s wife, Nancy, was home when the assault occurred and tried to help her husband while family members called 911.
“There is no indication that Mr. Pearson and Hanna knew each other,” police said.
When Hanna was arrested for Pearson’s murder, he was being held in a Wiscasset jail following an alleged attack on a West Bath woman Sunday morning. Hanna allegedly intentionally hit the woman with a car, threatened her with a knife, and sexually assaulted her.
“Following the first reports of the attack on Mr. Pearson at his home, State and Scarborough Police Sunday began receiving information from police agencies in the mid-coast of separate attacks that took place in Freeport on Saturday night and in West Bath Sunday morning,” police said.
Hanna is facing charges of attempted murder, elevated aggravated assault, unlawful sexual contact, criminal restraint, robbery, burglary, and two counts of criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon in connection with the West Bath attack.
https://www.facebook.com/ScarboroughPD/photos/a.10152254873662589/10159125604992589/?type=3&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARBg7SwnNQXLP-sazm9lqDecJTf0lwlm3l1zcg4aOvEI_qn5pl11YZii1DSOA_zKnKHO4KNGVGE4Dwd5frEP95afvj8dVUVK9ffYsQg3Wn0CdIoe4vWHGr-FDwpCUARx9_0Spx339VGOFGGl5cJttZBJ4OaDtvP8EcEunQ_qmarozjQ8wSFTqN8fxDppBZeVMSdfYdWZbGbFzCIU5epgsqHBQtuu0VcpTkyhEJ25oPhjjP2Ln0jX85ZNg_MmXwjPeXNK-yZjgLBx8DoeT316UYDg2ZI2E5Zc6jUA7uKaFVfpT4thCJ7rmwXtv3hep2DW890a6ojON2lbw6I8dYW_&__tn__=-R
Following the announcement of Hanna’s arrest, Moulton explained that due to the multi-pronged investigation, the police were not at liberty to announce news of the arrest sooner, and thanked the community for understanding.
“Jim was a well-known figure in town,” Moulton wrote of the 82-year-old. “He was a teacher for many years in Gorham, he and his wife owned a long time business here in Scarborough, and he had even served as a Reserve Police Officer in the early days of our department. It shouldn’t be any surprise that his children chose to serve their community and nation as well.”
https://www.facebook.com/MaineAssociationofPolice/posts/2524070807628164
Pearson’s son, Robert, is a retired 20-year veteran of the U.S. Navy and his daughter, Mary, is a sergeant with the Scarborough Police Department, a 32-year member of the department.
“This would have been a very difficult situation under any circumstances, but the fact that it involved the family of one of our own made your jobs even more difficult,” Moulton wrote.
The police chief said he made a promise to the sergeant that the department wouldn’t rest until the person responsible for her father’s murder was apprehended.
“Mary asked me on behalf of her brother Robert and mother Nancy, to thank the entire community and department for all they have done as well as their thoughts and prayers,” he wrote.
Read the full letter from the chief, below:
https://www.facebook.com/ScarboroughPD/posts/10159125813017589?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARBcAddc-pxwa2LHpnIiNZt4J9_5YRp6GEvqyt4o7i_uFxBHbo4QHqaHvS2VENY8UguRg0cV7I3Dvm7OaHOt9v_vuFtvSdV79P-t8_NMiL2VfPXzdBttftX9k8FfuKudGQjy5Lz6BUcs2IJYrZI-po0iBEkXDlQUMvG5nXxUMiBYp3CsjoNYa_uz2Cy0BksqVXmS62l4WlRUEJBtZtHgDm6rFS5xrLSKG-nR6RZCLkttDt8K3_7atnCcHkKnFzi-aLWNhJo-K8svmtP00r22Gu3KH3HfvzNH4D8OQkghQmtQ_q-22HKmcZ7-gbGvr7xyNl91AnsADLg9hqp-&__tn__=-R
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