Massachusetts man charged in beating death of girlfriend at York beach
Arriving officers detained Jeffrey Buchannan, 33, of Bedford, Massachusetts and found Rhonda Pattelena, 35, also of Bedford, dead behind the rock.
YORK, Maine (AP) — A Massachusetts man has been charged in the beating death of his girlfriend at a beach in Maine on Friday.
Maine State Police said the York Police Department received multiple 911 calls reporting a man assaulting a woman behind a large rock at Short Sands Beach at around 4 p.m.
Arriving officers detained Jeffrey Buchannan, 33, of Bedford, Massachusetts and found Rhonda Pattelena, 35, also of Bedford, dead behind the rock.
State police didn’t provide any further details other than to say the two were domestic partners and had one mutual child.
Buchannan has been charged with murder and is in custody at York County Jail. It’s not immediately clear if he has a lawyer.
State police said investigators are expected to continue their investigation through the weekend. The agency said there’s no on-going risk to public safety.
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