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Friends shocked by shooting; ‘Everyone knew something bad was going to happen’

Amy Lake (from left) with children Monica and Coty, and husband Steven in an undated photo. On Monday, June 13, all four were found in the living room on the first floor of their Dexter home, according Maj. Gary Wright of the state police. He said it appeared that Steven Lake, 37, used a shotgun to kill his wife, children and then himself.
Photo from Facebook
Amy Lake (from left) with children Monica and Coty, and husband Steven in an undated photo. On Monday, June 13, all four were found in the living room on the first floor of their Dexter home, according Maj. Gary Wright of the state police. He said it appeared that Steven Lake, 37, used a shotgun to kill his wife, children and then himself.
By Christopher Cousins, BDN Staff
Posted June 13, 2011, at 9:55 p.m.
Last modified June 14, 2011, at 10:58 a.m.
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HARMONY, Maine — David Vautier, grizzled and gruff from a lifetime of hard work, doesn’t come across as an emotional guy, but everyone has his limit. When he saw his grief-stricken granddaughter running toward him on the side of the road Monday morning after hearing about the deaths of the Lake family, he lost it.

“Just the sight of my granddaughter crying so hard, I couldn’t take it,” said Vautier. “I didn’t know what to say to her. What is there to say?”

Vautier is the next-door neighbor to Ralph and Linda Bagley, whose daughter and two grandchildren were gunned down Monday in Dexter. Vautier watched Amy Bagley — who became Amy Lake when she married — grow up. He watched her go to college and become a teacher in Dexter. He remembers her marrying Steven Lake, a local boy from the nearby town of Wellington, and watched as they raised a son and daughter. Like a lot of people in a similar situation, Vautier felt helpless when it became known that Amy and her husband were having marital troubles.

Despite having serious worries, Vautier never guessed Steven Lake would kill his wife and two children, but according to police that’s exactly what happened Monday morning.

“Everyone knew Steve was going to flip out,” said Vautier, who was at a local grocery store Monday afternoon buying food so he could bring coleslaw and chicken salad sandwiches to his grieving neighbors, whose driveway was packed with cars Monday.

“Everyone knew something bad was going to happen,” Vautier said of the relationship between Steven and Amy Lake. “Ralph [her father] couldn’t stop it. He even tried to hide her.”

According to records at Piscataquis County Superior Court, Amy took her own measures to shield herself from the violence, too. On June 14, 2010 — almost exactly one year ago — Steven Lake held her and the children at gunpoint in their Wellington home, according to Bangor Daily News archives. He threatened to kill himself and his family, wrote Amy Lake when she filed for a protection from abuse order on July 21, 2010. He’s made similar threats before, she wrote.

Steven Lake was arrested the next day at a heating and air conditioning business he owned called Lake’s Family Heating. He was charged with criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon and domestic violence criminal threatening, charges which were still pending Monday, according to court records. The trial had been continued twice since February of this year and was scheduled to begin on July 5. He also faced charges for violating a condition of release and violating a protective order stemming from an incident last November. Lake faced a July 5 court date for those charges, as well.

There have been numerous filings related to the case in the past year for changes to bail conditions, some of which sought visitation rights with his children, 12-year-old Monica and 13-year-old Coty.

On his Facebook page, Lake posted frequent statements about his children. On May 22 of this year, the day after a California minister had predicted the world would end, Lake posted: “Miss my kids more each day love them so glad the world didn’t stop yesterday i would have never saw them so glad the world continued!!!!”

His last post about his children was at 8:43 a.m. Sunday.

“Sad missing the kids wish we could do something as a family miss the old days so much,” he wrote on his Facebook page amid numerous photos of his children, himself and his wife.

The original protection from abuse order against Steven Lake was renewed in August 2010 and required that he not possess firearms or have contact with his wife or children — unless Amy Lake agreed that he could see Monica and Coty. It was unclear how much visitation Steven Lake has had with his children recently, though the protection from abuse order was in effect until Oct. 26 of this year, according to court documents.

The separation from his children weighed heavily on Lake, according to Ron Robinson, owner of C&R General Store in Harmony. Robinson knew the victims and knows most of their extended families, many of whom still live in the Harmony and Wellington areas. Amy Lake worked for Robinson for four years when she was younger, partially to raise money to attend the University of Maine at Farmington, where she earned a bachelor’s degree and teaching certificate several years ago. Amy was in Robinson’s store Sunday evening, though Robinson didn’t see her. He assumed she was in town to visit her parents. It had been a few weeks since he’d seen Steven Lake, but he said it was obvious “something wasn’t right with him.”

“He hasn’t been able to see the kids for a while,” said Robinson. “That must have been hard on him. They used to do lots of things as a family, snowmobiling, four-wheeling, fishing. I can’t believe he’d do this to his own children. I knew he was upset and had some issues, but I never thought he’d do this.”

Brandy Bussell of Harmony said her husband is related to the Bagley family. She knew Steven Lake from seeing him around town.

“He just didn’t seem right after they separated,” Bussell said of Steven Lake. “He was really down in the dumps. Divorce doesn’t make anybody feel good. It’s just very sad for both families.”

David Vautier, struggling to keep from crying again, said the Bagley and Lake families won’t soon recover from this tragedy, nor will anyone else who knew Steven, Amy, Monica or Coty Lake.

“Amy was a princess, someone you could admire,” he said. “She took care of her children and raised them right. They were such beautiful children. This is a terrible loss for the whole community.”

BDN writer Judy Harrison contributed to this report.

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  • Anonymous

    Truly sad and tragic.  A real man wouldn’t  even think this.

  • http://www.facebook.com/Dextah Ron Dexter

    Gut wrenching sad!  Another failure by our judicial system

  • http://www.facebook.com/Dextah Ron Dexter

    Gut wrenching sad!  Another failure by our judicial system

  • http://www.facebook.com/Dextah Ron Dexter

    Gut wrenching sad!  Another failure by our judicial system

  • http://www.facebook.com/Dextah Ron Dexter

    Gut wrenching sad!  Another failure by our judicial system

  • http://www.facebook.com/Dextah Ron Dexter

    Gut wrenching sad!  Another failure by our judicial system

  • Anonymous

    The man was a piece of s**t…plain and simple.  He never should have been out on bail after violating his conditions in November.  When will we as a society learn. 

  • Anonymous

    Seeing this photo is wrenchingly painful and heartbreaking.  Why couldn’t he have done himself in, and left these three innocent people alone!  He was not going to allow them any happiness or life.  These children got the worst break in life for who their father was.

  • Anonymous

    “Everyone knew Steve was going to flip out.”  “Everyone knew something bad was going to happen.”   
    Yes, and sadly, they were right.

  • http://twitter.com/TheGuardianMH The Guardian

    Of course they were shocked.  And yes, there were signs this was coming.  Not being able to see your kids is not a good reason to kill them. 

  • http://twitter.com/TheGuardianMH The Guardian

    Of course they were shocked.  And yes, there were signs this was coming.  Not being able to see your kids is not a good reason to kill them. 

  • JFC72

    Joel,
     
    What  a sad day for your community. May the good Lord give your family and the surviving relatives on both sides of the deceased, the grace to bear the tragic loss. Time heals and the pain of the loss will dissipate over time.
    The community of Dexter  need to come together as one,  to put in place free Counseling  and Early intervention apparatus to prevent another  such occurrence.
     
    On behalf of my family, please accept our heart felt condolence for the loss. May their souls  rest in peace.
     
    Sonny

  • Anonymous

    This photo shows how “normal” domestic violence can look before turning into something so horribly ugly. 

  • Anonymous

    Lynne,I almost always agree with everything you write and look forward to your comments.However,I must question your use of the phrase”Why couldn’t he have done himself in…etc.”Suicide is often still as harmful to the kids and family.There are many questions here unanswered.Why were the cases continued more than a year?Did he have a valid gun permit?(I don’t think you can have one with an abuse order in place)If he was self employed he probably had limited access to mental health services via insurance.We will never know.Prayers for both families.

  • Anonymous

    Lynne,I almost always agree with everything you write and look forward to your comments.However,I must question your use of the phrase”Why couldn’t he have done himself in…etc.”Suicide is often still as harmful to the kids and family.There are many questions here unanswered.Why were the cases continued more than a year?Did he have a valid gun permit?(I don’t think you can have one with an abuse order in place)If he was self employed he probably had limited access to mental health services via insurance.We will never know.Prayers for both families.

  • ChuckGG

    Whenever I hear about “restraining orders” I have to think they are not worth the paper they are written on.  If a situation reaches a point where a restraining order is needed, I doubt it actually would be very effective.  It is unfortunate and tragic that the warning signs did not result in some kind of treatment/isolation of the father.  The victims here did not deserve this.

  • Anonymous

    my exact sentiment! where is the judge or judges in this case. this guy already threatened what he did once and the legal system let him out so he could really do it this time. unbelievable!  how can the judges allow these cases to be continued over and over. shame on them. it was obvious this guy needed help and they still let him out.

  • Anonymous

    my exact sentiment! where is the judge or judges in this case. this guy already threatened what he did once and the legal system let him out so he could really do it this time. unbelievable!  how can the judges allow these cases to be continued over and over. shame on them. it was obvious this guy needed help and they still let him out.

  • Anonymous

    my exact sentiment! where is the judge or judges in this case. this guy already threatened what he did once and the legal system let him out so he could really do it this time. unbelievable!  how can the judges allow these cases to be continued over and over. shame on them. it was obvious this guy needed help and they still let him out.

  • Anonymous

    my exact sentiment! where is the judge or judges in this case. this guy already threatened what he did once and the legal system let him out so he could really do it this time. unbelievable!  how can the judges allow these cases to be continued over and over. shame on them. it was obvious this guy needed help and they still let him out.

  • Anonymous

    my exact sentiment! where is the judge or judges in this case. this guy already threatened what he did once and the legal system let him out so he could really do it this time. unbelievable!  how can the judges allow these cases to be continued over and over. shame on them. it was obvious this guy needed help and they still let him out.

  • Anonymous

    Contrary to what you may read, protection from abuse orders are issued everyday. It is a rare event when the outcome is murder. I would like to see the actual statistics, I’m going to guess it is less than 1 in 1,ooo.

  • Anonymous

    Our judicial system is a farce, particularly regarding domestic abuse.  Short of going into the “witness protection program” or fleeing to another country with her children and assuming new identities, what more could Amy Lake have done to protect herself and her children?  No one can ever believe that a person they know would do such a horrendous thing.  But they can and they do.  When people feel hopeless they do terrible things, to themselves, to others.  I have to agree that suicide is preferable to murder.  A parent committing suicide is the ultimate abandonement, but they can and do learn to cope with this, and these children deserved that opportunity.  My heart aches for all their loved ones and community.  What a tragedy.

  • Anonymous

    Our judicial system is a farce, particularly regarding domestic abuse.  Short of going into the “witness protection program” or fleeing to another country with her children and assuming new identities, what more could Amy Lake have done to protect herself and her children?  No one can ever believe that a person they know would do such a horrendous thing.  But they can and they do.  When people feel hopeless they do terrible things, to themselves, to others.  I have to agree that suicide is preferable to murder.  A parent committing suicide is the ultimate abandonement, but they can and do learn to cope with this, and these children deserved that opportunity.  My heart aches for all their loved ones and community.  What a tragedy.

  • ChuckGG

    True enough, but how effective are these RO’s against the very troubled individual?  I realize that most RO’s provide the victim with a legal justification to notify the police and have the offender removed without much question.  But, anyone who truly is out to get another person will not consider some piece of paper as any barrier.   In this particular case, perhaps no one had any idea this scenario would be the outcome.  On the other hand, there certainly are cases where violence has occurred.   In fact, in re-reading this article it was mentioned the father in the past had held his family hostage, with a gun, and had threatened them.  I think that right there would have been a strong signal something was seriously wrong and perhaps more protection for the wife and children was warranted.  It is pointless and somewhat inappropriate to armchair quarterback this situation.  It was tragic and a huge loss affecting far more than just the victims.

  • http://twitter.com/BlaqkPhoenix777 BlaqkPhoenix777

    what a selfish, evil, depraved man. He should have saved a few steps and just shot himself. Then his kids might have had a better shot at a functional family.

  • http://twitter.com/BlaqkPhoenix777 BlaqkPhoenix777

    what a selfish, evil, depraved man. He should have saved a few steps and just shot himself. Then his kids might have had a better shot at a functional family.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_HQB6JPMVULR3YZ2W6574KT52DY Steve

    When you need the police now they are minutes (or hours) away.  Amy should have had a gun and training to use it.

  • nichole austin

    I couldn’t agree more!

  • nichole austin

    What more could she have done to protect herself and her children? I don’t know all the circumstances but had I been a friend I would have encouraged her to get her own gun and learn to use it. More abuse victims need to be encouraged to carry their own weapons. We can no longer think passively in the world we live in. Perhaps nothing could have prevented this but we need to stop being afraid of guns. We shouldn’t think of guns as only for criminals and the unstable. We need to change our way of thinking and support each other with realistic views of how we can protect ourselves. 

  • Anonymous

    What else is left to say… I agree with most of the posts here. May God rest their souls and may God comfort their loved ones.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_PJPMZXU4TZZPGSGIAY7ILHL7MY Sally N

    usually when someone is issued a protection from abuse order it escalates the situation  more and ticks off the abuser and can actually do more harm than good. and you are right sometimes they are not worth the paper they are written on. I for one have been through this myself with my ex husband and obtained one and it did tick him off more. if it wasnt’ for Spruce Run and their organization, I wouldn’t be alive today. It is becoming more and more prevalent in Maine that domestic abuse is being coming more violent and deadly. May this family rest in peace and thoughts and prayers are with the families of these people.

  • Anonymous

    To Hear this Animal’s Uncle make an excuse that says everyone has a breaking point if you push someone far enough in the other article made me as sick as this killing. I see the Uncle is as crazy as the killer! Nothing could make me kill my children NOTHING not even forced seperation.  I never knew these people but was laying in bed last night and cried just cried myself to sleep thinking how one of these kids seen the other one get shot, and or their mother seen them possibly get shot or atleast one of the kids had to have seen their mother get shot and or one another, HOW does a man do this  HOW….no not like his Uncle said if you push a man to far….MR UNCLE YOUR A SICK! SICK SICK SICK MAN TOO

  • Anonymous

    To Hear this Animal’s Uncle make an excuse that says everyone has a breaking point if you push someone far enough in the other article made me as sick as this killing. I see the Uncle is as crazy as the killer! Nothing could make me kill my children NOTHING not even forced seperation.  I never knew these people but was laying in bed last night and cried just cried myself to sleep thinking how one of these kids seen the other one get shot, and or their mother seen them possibly get shot or atleast one of the kids had to have seen their mother get shot and or one another, HOW does a man do this  HOW….no not like his Uncle said if you push a man to far….MR UNCLE YOUR A SICK! SICK SICK SICK MAN TOO

  • Anonymous

    Tragedy seems to be the only word that is appropriate for all involved.    I do not claim to know all the facts in this particular case.   However, my question is this since the breaking point seems to be he wouldn’t be able to go to his son’s eighth grade graduation, why couldn’t he be allowed to have gone to it with a police escort?  (No contact with his family, just there to watch.)  Would this have prevented this tragedy at this time.  Prisoners are often allowed to visit sick family members at the hospital and attend funerals with a police escort.

  • Anonymous

    Tragedy seems to be the only word that is appropriate for all involved.    I do not claim to know all the facts in this particular case.   However, my question is this since the breaking point seems to be he wouldn’t be able to go to his son’s eighth grade graduation, why couldn’t he be allowed to have gone to it with a police escort?  (No contact with his family, just there to watch.)  Would this have prevented this tragedy at this time.  Prisoners are often allowed to visit sick family members at the hospital and attend funerals with a police escort.

  • Anonymous

    Tragedy seems to be the only word that is appropriate for all involved.    I do not claim to know all the facts in this particular case.   However, my question is this since the breaking point seems to be he wouldn’t be able to go to his son’s eighth grade graduation, why couldn’t he be allowed to have gone to it with a police escort?  (No contact with his family, just there to watch.)  Would this have prevented this tragedy at this time.  Prisoners are often allowed to visit sick family members at the hospital and attend funerals with a police escort.

  • Anonymous

    Lets not forget Mindy Gould from Dexter at Xas time and the little cunningham boy she was babysitting shot to death in her Dexter home ..domestic violance and a protection order was taken out the day before =(……

  • Anonymous

    Once people, particularly police, begin to know about ongoing domestic violence in a home the family is already in a very, very dangerous situation.    Everyone in the family is in danger – in this situation this wife and children they were in constant danger of being harmed and the husband was in constant danger of harming them.  There is no doubt about it… domestic violence is a life threatening situation for all involved and MUST be taken very seriously to prevent this kind of tragedy.  

    It’s not in the best interest of anyone in the family to allow the accused to remain free after violating conditions of bail and an order for protection.  Consequences for violation of a protection order and conditions of bail in domestic violence matters should be a mandatory revocation of bail and incarceration pending a trial.  That is not unfair and would be acting in the best interest of all family members… that would keep them all safe and apart. 

  • Anonymous

    What could SHE have done? Assuming she didn’t know how to use a gun, why should she have to? What if she didn’t want one in the house? And if she DID have a license and have one, what was she supposed to do with it? Wear a holster 24 hours a day, while she was sleeping, showering, helping her kids with their homework? Was she condemned to look over her shoulder the rest of her life, to never rest? Where the cops supposed to live in her driveway? If the authorities can monitor other criminals with an ankle tether, why wasn’t this guy forced to wear one? The technology is there, for crissakes. His movements could have easily been followed. She–and other domestic abuse victims–shouldn’t be the ones to be worried about every step they take. He was a criminal. He should have been looking in the rear view mirror at every turn.

  • Anonymous

    What could SHE have done? Assuming she didn’t know how to use a gun, why should she have to? What if she didn’t want one in the house? And if she DID have a license and have one, what was she supposed to do with it? Wear a holster 24 hours a day, while she was sleeping, showering, helping her kids with their homework? Was she condemned to look over her shoulder the rest of her life, to never rest? Where the cops supposed to live in her driveway? If the authorities can monitor other criminals with an ankle tether, why wasn’t this guy forced to wear one? The technology is there, for crissakes. His movements could have easily been followed. She–and other domestic abuse victims–shouldn’t be the ones to be worried about every step they take. He was a criminal. He should have been looking in the rear view mirror at every turn.

  • Anonymous

    If everyone knew something bad was going to happen, why doesn’t someone do SOMETHING! There is no such thing as someone who just “snaps” There are always warning signs!!!!!!!

  • Anonymous

    This is just horrible. I am just so sad that the children were involved too; it was bad enough this man killed their mom…=(

    Love and deepest sympathies to Amy’s family and friends. May you now rest in peace…

  • Anonymous

    Those protective orders aren’t worth the paper they are written on. How many families are destroyed while an order is in place? There should be something like the witness protection program for these women and children where they can just disappear. It would be hard, yes, but better than being murdered.

  • Anonymous

    Those protective orders aren’t worth the paper they are written on. How many families are destroyed while an order is in place? There should be something like the witness protection program for these women and children where they can just disappear. It would be hard, yes, but better than being murdered.

  • Anonymous

    Those protective orders aren’t worth the paper they are written on. How many families are destroyed while an order is in place? There should be something like the witness protection program for these women and children where they can just disappear. It would be hard, yes, but better than being murdered.

  • Anonymous

    Those protective orders aren’t worth the paper they are written on. How many families are destroyed while an order is in place? There should be something like the witness protection program for these women and children where they can just disappear. It would be hard, yes, but better than being murdered.

  • Anonymous

    Those protective orders aren’t worth the paper they are written on. How many families are destroyed while an order is in place? There should be something like the witness protection program for these women and children where they can just disappear. It would be hard, yes, but better than being murdered.

  • Anonymous

    Are you serious?  “Suicide is often still as harmful to the kids and family.”  Are you implying that living through their father’s suicide would be as bad as them being murdered?  That is why these people do this – they think they are doing the children a favor because they won’t have to live with what their parent has done.  That is a warped view and very selfish of the murderers.  This man should have sent his wife and kids out of the house and killed himself if that is what he wanted to do.  At the very least, he should have let the children go – they had no part in their parent’s problems.  I simply don’t know how a person that professes to love someone – especially innocent children – can kill them.  Imagine the terror that they felt when they knew what their father was going to do.

    My parents went through the same thing when I was a teenager.  My mother moved out and then my father killed himself when he knew that she would find him.  He wanted to hurt her, but it never occurred to him to kill her or his kids.  It was a terrible time for our family, but I am very grateful that he didn’t go so far over the edge that he killed her and us with him.  I am a whole person now and still love and miss him very much.  I also know that there wasn’t anything that we could have done to stop him.  In a situation like that you can’t wrap your mind around the possibility of suicide or murder/suicide.

    No, the man was obviously depressed and no gun laws would have stopped him from doing what he did.  You can’t blame it on the insurance companies or the fact that he was self employed – that is ridiculous (not to mention that his wife is a teacher and I am sure she had insurance).   He wasn’t in a mindset where he would seek any help.

    Sadly, there wasn’t anything anyone could do to stop him and there is no amount of second thought that can change what he did.  There is no excuse for killing innocent children in a situation like this.  They have no way to defend themselves from those that they trust and love the most.

    Today is a sad day.

  • Anonymous

    Are you serious?  “Suicide is often still as harmful to the kids and family.”  Are you implying that living through their father’s suicide would be as bad as them being murdered?  That is why these people do this – they think they are doing the children a favor because they won’t have to live with what their parent has done.  That is a warped view and very selfish of the murderers.  This man should have sent his wife and kids out of the house and killed himself if that is what he wanted to do.  At the very least, he should have let the children go – they had no part in their parent’s problems.  I simply don’t know how a person that professes to love someone – especially innocent children – can kill them.  Imagine the terror that they felt when they knew what their father was going to do.

    My parents went through the same thing when I was a teenager.  My mother moved out and then my father killed himself when he knew that she would find him.  He wanted to hurt her, but it never occurred to him to kill her or his kids.  It was a terrible time for our family, but I am very grateful that he didn’t go so far over the edge that he killed her and us with him.  I am a whole person now and still love and miss him very much.  I also know that there wasn’t anything that we could have done to stop him.  In a situation like that you can’t wrap your mind around the possibility of suicide or murder/suicide.

    No, the man was obviously depressed and no gun laws would have stopped him from doing what he did.  You can’t blame it on the insurance companies or the fact that he was self employed – that is ridiculous (not to mention that his wife is a teacher and I am sure she had insurance).   He wasn’t in a mindset where he would seek any help.

    Sadly, there wasn’t anything anyone could do to stop him and there is no amount of second thought that can change what he did.  There is no excuse for killing innocent children in a situation like this.  They have no way to defend themselves from those that they trust and love the most.

    Today is a sad day.

  • Anonymous

    Are you serious?  “Suicide is often still as harmful to the kids and family.”  Are you implying that living through their father’s suicide would be as bad as them being murdered?  That is why these people do this – they think they are doing the children a favor because they won’t have to live with what their parent has done.  That is a warped view and very selfish of the murderers.  This man should have sent his wife and kids out of the house and killed himself if that is what he wanted to do.  At the very least, he should have let the children go – they had no part in their parent’s problems.  I simply don’t know how a person that professes to love someone – especially innocent children – can kill them.  Imagine the terror that they felt when they knew what their father was going to do.

    My parents went through the same thing when I was a teenager.  My mother moved out and then my father killed himself when he knew that she would find him.  He wanted to hurt her, but it never occurred to him to kill her or his kids.  It was a terrible time for our family, but I am very grateful that he didn’t go so far over the edge that he killed her and us with him.  I am a whole person now and still love and miss him very much.  I also know that there wasn’t anything that we could have done to stop him.  In a situation like that you can’t wrap your mind around the possibility of suicide or murder/suicide.

    No, the man was obviously depressed and no gun laws would have stopped him from doing what he did.  You can’t blame it on the insurance companies or the fact that he was self employed – that is ridiculous (not to mention that his wife is a teacher and I am sure she had insurance).   He wasn’t in a mindset where he would seek any help.

    Sadly, there wasn’t anything anyone could do to stop him and there is no amount of second thought that can change what he did.  There is no excuse for killing innocent children in a situation like this.  They have no way to defend themselves from those that they trust and love the most.

    Today is a sad day.

  • Anonymous

    Are you serious?  “Suicide is often still as harmful to the kids and family.”  Are you implying that living through their father’s suicide would be as bad as them being murdered?  That is why these people do this – they think they are doing the children a favor because they won’t have to live with what their parent has done.  That is a warped view and very selfish of the murderers.  This man should have sent his wife and kids out of the house and killed himself if that is what he wanted to do.  At the very least, he should have let the children go – they had no part in their parent’s problems.  I simply don’t know how a person that professes to love someone – especially innocent children – can kill them.  Imagine the terror that they felt when they knew what their father was going to do.

    My parents went through the same thing when I was a teenager.  My mother moved out and then my father killed himself when he knew that she would find him.  He wanted to hurt her, but it never occurred to him to kill her or his kids.  It was a terrible time for our family, but I am very grateful that he didn’t go so far over the edge that he killed her and us with him.  I am a whole person now and still love and miss him very much.  I also know that there wasn’t anything that we could have done to stop him.  In a situation like that you can’t wrap your mind around the possibility of suicide or murder/suicide.

    No, the man was obviously depressed and no gun laws would have stopped him from doing what he did.  You can’t blame it on the insurance companies or the fact that he was self employed – that is ridiculous (not to mention that his wife is a teacher and I am sure she had insurance).   He wasn’t in a mindset where he would seek any help.

    Sadly, there wasn’t anything anyone could do to stop him and there is no amount of second thought that can change what he did.  There is no excuse for killing innocent children in a situation like this.  They have no way to defend themselves from those that they trust and love the most.

    Today is a sad day.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=611091543 Nicole Thomas

    How depressing to read comments placing the blame on anyone but Mr. Lake. This situation is terrible and hindsight is always 20/20. “Coulda shoulda woulda” has no place in the loss of lives for three innocent victims and a mentally disturbed individual. Either way, it is tragic and people are suffering right now. Let’s all make a mental note not to add to that, as it is very likely that the friends and loved ones on both sides can see this, and they are all innocent. Ms. Bagley (Lake) did all she could have done to protect her children and herself. If anyone has any left over resentment, take it up with the legal system and enforce changes in the laws. Everyone acted within protocol- police, the victim, the judicial system. You can’t change the outcome in this case but you can have more sympathy and realize what a broken system we have when a piece of paper is the only protection a woman and her children are granted from someone who has threatened them bodily harm. Rest in peace, and my thoughts and prayers are with the friends and families of those lost.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=611091543 Nicole Thomas

    How depressing to read comments placing the blame on anyone but Mr. Lake. This situation is terrible and hindsight is always 20/20. “Coulda shoulda woulda” has no place in the loss of lives for three innocent victims and a mentally disturbed individual. Either way, it is tragic and people are suffering right now. Let’s all make a mental note not to add to that, as it is very likely that the friends and loved ones on both sides can see this, and they are all innocent. Ms. Bagley (Lake) did all she could have done to protect her children and herself. If anyone has any left over resentment, take it up with the legal system and enforce changes in the laws. Everyone acted within protocol- police, the victim, the judicial system. You can’t change the outcome in this case but you can have more sympathy and realize what a broken system we have when a piece of paper is the only protection a woman and her children are granted from someone who has threatened them bodily harm. Rest in peace, and my thoughts and prayers are with the friends and families of those lost.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=611091543 Nicole Thomas

    How depressing to read comments placing the blame on anyone but Mr. Lake. This situation is terrible and hindsight is always 20/20. “Coulda shoulda woulda” has no place in the loss of lives for three innocent victims and a mentally disturbed individual. Either way, it is tragic and people are suffering right now. Let’s all make a mental note not to add to that, as it is very likely that the friends and loved ones on both sides can see this, and they are all innocent. Ms. Bagley (Lake) did all she could have done to protect her children and herself. If anyone has any left over resentment, take it up with the legal system and enforce changes in the laws. Everyone acted within protocol- police, the victim, the judicial system. You can’t change the outcome in this case but you can have more sympathy and realize what a broken system we have when a piece of paper is the only protection a woman and her children are granted from someone who has threatened them bodily harm. Rest in peace, and my thoughts and prayers are with the friends and families of those lost.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=611091543 Nicole Thomas

    How depressing to read comments placing the blame on anyone but Mr. Lake. This situation is terrible and hindsight is always 20/20. “Coulda shoulda woulda” has no place in the loss of lives for three innocent victims and a mentally disturbed individual. Either way, it is tragic and people are suffering right now. Let’s all make a mental note not to add to that, as it is very likely that the friends and loved ones on both sides can see this, and they are all innocent. Ms. Bagley (Lake) did all she could have done to protect her children and herself. If anyone has any left over resentment, take it up with the legal system and enforce changes in the laws. Everyone acted within protocol- police, the victim, the judicial system. You can’t change the outcome in this case but you can have more sympathy and realize what a broken system we have when a piece of paper is the only protection a woman and her children are granted from someone who has threatened them bodily harm. Rest in peace, and my thoughts and prayers are with the friends and families of those lost.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=611091543 Nicole Thomas

    How depressing to read comments placing the blame on anyone but Mr. Lake. This situation is terrible and hindsight is always 20/20. “Coulda shoulda woulda” has no place in the loss of lives for three innocent victims and a mentally disturbed individual. Either way, it is tragic and people are suffering right now. Let’s all make a mental note not to add to that, as it is very likely that the friends and loved ones on both sides can see this, and they are all innocent. Ms. Bagley (Lake) did all she could have done to protect her children and herself. If anyone has any left over resentment, take it up with the legal system and enforce changes in the laws. Everyone acted within protocol- police, the victim, the judicial system. You can’t change the outcome in this case but you can have more sympathy and realize what a broken system we have when a piece of paper is the only protection a woman and her children are granted from someone who has threatened them bodily harm. Rest in peace, and my thoughts and prayers are with the friends and families of those lost.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=611091543 Nicole Thomas

    How depressing to read comments placing the blame on anyone but Mr. Lake. This situation is terrible and hindsight is always 20/20. “Coulda shoulda woulda” has no place in the loss of lives for three innocent victims and a mentally disturbed individual. Either way, it is tragic and people are suffering right now. Let’s all make a mental note not to add to that, as it is very likely that the friends and loved ones on both sides can see this, and they are all innocent. Ms. Bagley (Lake) did all she could have done to protect her children and herself. If anyone has any left over resentment, take it up with the legal system and enforce changes in the laws. Everyone acted within protocol- police, the victim, the judicial system. You can’t change the outcome in this case but you can have more sympathy and realize what a broken system we have when a piece of paper is the only protection a woman and her children are granted from someone who has threatened them bodily harm. Rest in peace, and my thoughts and prayers are with the friends and families of those lost.

  • Anonymous

    “The trial had been continued twice since February”.  This is what happens all of the time! It is inexcusable, unacceptable and failure of the process!  I waited almost 3 years!!!!! I lived a life of fear and almost gave up on life. This should not be so. I hope the families will hold the court and law enforcement accountable for this tragedy!  They are directly responsible for all of the postponements and putting everything on the back burner to boil until every thing boiled over!
    My prayers are with the families of this tragedy. Unfortunately, in the time it has taken me to write this post, two more have died at the hands of someone they loved.
    Don’t ever ask a women “why” she stays….. This is why! They are too afraid to leave! They know what this angry person is capable of and will do anything to keep the peace at almost any cost!!!!!    

  • Anonymous

    “The trial had been continued twice since February”.  This is what happens all of the time! It is inexcusable, unacceptable and failure of the process!  I waited almost 3 years!!!!! I lived a life of fear and almost gave up on life. This should not be so. I hope the families will hold the court and law enforcement accountable for this tragedy!  They are directly responsible for all of the postponements and putting everything on the back burner to boil until every thing boiled over!
    My prayers are with the families of this tragedy. Unfortunately, in the time it has taken me to write this post, two more have died at the hands of someone they loved.
    Don’t ever ask a women “why” she stays….. This is why! They are too afraid to leave! They know what this angry person is capable of and will do anything to keep the peace at almost any cost!!!!!    

  • Anonymous

    “The trial had been continued twice since February”.  This is what happens all of the time! It is inexcusable, unacceptable and failure of the process!  I waited almost 3 years!!!!! I lived a life of fear and almost gave up on life. This should not be so. I hope the families will hold the court and law enforcement accountable for this tragedy!  They are directly responsible for all of the postponements and putting everything on the back burner to boil until every thing boiled over!
    My prayers are with the families of this tragedy. Unfortunately, in the time it has taken me to write this post, two more have died at the hands of someone they loved.
    Don’t ever ask a women “why” she stays….. This is why! They are too afraid to leave! They know what this angry person is capable of and will do anything to keep the peace at almost any cost!!!!!    

  • Anonymous

    “The trial had been continued twice since February”.  This is what happens all of the time! It is inexcusable, unacceptable and failure of the process!  I waited almost 3 years!!!!! I lived a life of fear and almost gave up on life. This should not be so. I hope the families will hold the court and law enforcement accountable for this tragedy!  They are directly responsible for all of the postponements and putting everything on the back burner to boil until every thing boiled over!
    My prayers are with the families of this tragedy. Unfortunately, in the time it has taken me to write this post, two more have died at the hands of someone they loved.
    Don’t ever ask a women “why” she stays….. This is why! They are too afraid to leave! They know what this angry person is capable of and will do anything to keep the peace at almost any cost!!!!!    

  • Anonymous

    “The trial had been continued twice since February”.  This is what happens all of the time! It is inexcusable, unacceptable and failure of the process!  I waited almost 3 years!!!!! I lived a life of fear and almost gave up on life. This should not be so. I hope the families will hold the court and law enforcement accountable for this tragedy!  They are directly responsible for all of the postponements and putting everything on the back burner to boil until every thing boiled over!
    My prayers are with the families of this tragedy. Unfortunately, in the time it has taken me to write this post, two more have died at the hands of someone they loved.
    Don’t ever ask a women “why” she stays….. This is why! They are too afraid to leave! They know what this angry person is capable of and will do anything to keep the peace at almost any cost!!!!!    

  • Anonymous

    “The trial had been continued twice since February”.  This is what happens all of the time! It is inexcusable, unacceptable and failure of the process!  I waited almost 3 years!!!!! I lived a life of fear and almost gave up on life. This should not be so. I hope the families will hold the court and law enforcement accountable for this tragedy!  They are directly responsible for all of the postponements and putting everything on the back burner to boil until every thing boiled over!
    My prayers are with the families of this tragedy. Unfortunately, in the time it has taken me to write this post, two more have died at the hands of someone they loved.
    Don’t ever ask a women “why” she stays….. This is why! They are too afraid to leave! They know what this angry person is capable of and will do anything to keep the peace at almost any cost!!!!!    

  • Anonymous

    I have no sympathy for this sick, depraved animal!  He had NO right or excuse for what he did.  He had been terrifying his family for a year and nothing was able to stop him.  This is the most selfish thing anyone could possibly do.  My one question is how did gain access to them?  Who told him where they were?  I wonder if that person is accepting any blame in this tragedy.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=774531059 Stephanie Ann Treadwell

    You don’t need a valid gun permit to have access to a gun… The law is the law, but don’t forget some people don’t care. It’s all very sad.

  • asportsfan

    Why do the papers keep posting photos of the entire family together?  This animal should not be in the same photo as the three precious angels.

  • Anonymous

    After holding his family hostage last year, he should have had all his guns taken from him. I would hope the judge who set such a small bail feels like crap, as should his lawyer. These PO only work for a more law abiding person, not one has desperate as he was. We don’t know the whole story but there are no excuses for what he did. He was not going to let them live their life without living in fear. A trajic thing all around. May the kids and Amy R.I.P. and he can burn in hell.

  • Anonymous

    I wonder what would be if the judicial system didn’t automatically side with women in these situations. I wonder if when she told him she was leaving she also said I am taking the kids and you will never see them. That is what happens with a restraining order. Until your day in court you are not allowed to see your children. Judges in this state are trying to fill a quota so they can play politics without actually hearing the opposing side. For me personally that was a scary situation because the mother would allow the child to play unattended in the front lawn with traffic driving by at 2 years old. The judge did not care. When I decided to leave her she took my kids and cried verbal abuse. No evidence but testimony from a person that I have never met before. The judge did not care. After that I could not see my kids for months. When I was allowed to see him I did not want to let him go. Almost holding him, my own son, “hostage”. It was not an evil thing or a hateful thing. It was because I loved him and I was scared I would never see him again. The judge did not care. If people like her did not abuse the system so frequently in this state it would be easier to help this poor woman and children. Unfortunately it puts a guy (especially one who is trying to make it with his own business in business unfriendly maine) in a very stressful and dark place to know that someone else can just take your kids. Most of the time during a restraining order there is a propaganda being issued to your kids on how evil you are so the longer it goes the more damage is done. Unfortunately now it is going to be even easier for a woman to do this to any man she wants. Stripping him of parental rights on a woman’s emotional whim and destroying the future of the kid or kids involved. When there is no where to go people make very bad decisions. This judge should have done his or her job. Now it is worse for everyone. There is no retribution for this judge getting this one wrong either. The judge does not care. The policy of always siding with the woman leaves men without any options. That is not right.

  • Anonymous

    You won’t get much agreement of sympathy from many here. This man had already threatened his family.  This woman lived in fear for her and the children with his violent tendencies.   He is responsible for the restraining order. Now, he has taken the lives of 3 innocent people.   He is the one who caused this tragedy, this horror….

  • Anonymous

    “Did he have a valid gun permit?(I don’t think you can have one with an abuse order in place)”

    Are you serious? Obviously this guy didn’t care about laws, in case you forgot murder is against the law already, let alone the nonexistent “permit” you talk about.

    This is just another example of how laws only affect law abiding people, criminals don’t follow the law.

    People like him don’t respect the law. He was purely selfish, and because of that, three innocent souls have been taken from the earth.

  • Anonymous

    “Did he have a valid gun permit?(I don’t think you can have one with an abuse order in place)”

    Are you serious? Obviously this guy didn’t care about laws, in case you forgot murder is against the law already, let alone the nonexistent “permit” you talk about.

    This is just another example of how laws only affect law abiding people, criminals don’t follow the law.

    People like him don’t respect the law. He was purely selfish, and because of that, three innocent souls have been taken from the earth.

  • Anonymous

    “Did he have a valid gun permit?(I don’t think you can have one with an abuse order in place)”

    Are you serious? Obviously this guy didn’t care about laws, in case you forgot murder is against the law already, let alone the nonexistent “permit” you talk about.

    This is just another example of how laws only affect law abiding people, criminals don’t follow the law.

    People like him don’t respect the law. He was purely selfish, and because of that, three innocent souls have been taken from the earth.

  • Anonymous

    Nicely stated…and true.

  • Anonymous

    Nicely stated…and true.

  • Anonymous

    Nicely stated…and true.

  • Anonymous

    I like that idea. An ankle tether with a proximity warning. Very cool idea. She could have something on her key chain so that if he was within a mile or other designated distance of her it could alert police. That would be awesome.

  • Anonymous

    I like that idea. An ankle tether with a proximity warning. Very cool idea. She could have something on her key chain so that if he was within a mile or other designated distance of her it could alert police. That would be awesome.

  • Anonymous

    I like that idea. An ankle tether with a proximity warning. Very cool idea. She could have something on her key chain so that if he was within a mile or other designated distance of her it could alert police. That would be awesome.

  • Anonymous

    I like that idea. An ankle tether with a proximity warning. Very cool idea. She could have something on her key chain so that if he was within a mile or other designated distance of her it could alert police. That would be awesome.

  • Anonymous

    I like that idea. An ankle tether with a proximity warning. Very cool idea. She could have something on her key chain so that if he was within a mile or other designated distance of her it could alert police. That would be awesome.

  • Anonymous

    No, having to wear a gun and rely on a gun would definitely NOT be any answer in this kind of situation.   Anyone suggesting that, has very little understanding of domestic violence.

  • Anonymous

    No, having to wear a gun and rely on a gun would definitely NOT be any answer in this kind of situation.   Anyone suggesting that, has very little understanding of domestic violence.

  • Anonymous

    Stop dating/getting engaged to/marrying LUNATICS!!!!!

  • Anonymous

    And the judges policy failed them.

  • Anonymous

    Spruce Run has helped many.  I wish it could have helped this woman and her children, but maybe she did not know about it,  or could not get away,etc.

  • Anonymous

    “This situation is terrible and hindsight is always 20/20. “Coulda shoulda woulda” has no place in the loss of lives for three innocent victims and a mentally disturbed individual.”

    Agreed this is a terrible situation and that hindsight is 20/20; however, I disagree that’ “could shoulda woulda” has no place here’   If you do not analyze and ask questions of where it could have been prevented – then how do you stop this from happening again?   Shouldn’t that be the goal now to stop the ‘next time’?  

  • Anonymous

    There is never a right thing to say in situations like this. My sincere condolences to the families involved.

  • Anonymous

    I have been trying to make sense of this tragedy since it happened yesterday, guess there is no sense to be made, as there are no answers as to why someone would murder their whole family.  Maybe it’s because living in Dexter you never think this could happen in my town, but none of us are immune to it.  Amy, Coty and Monica were a part of our community, and even though I had never met them, this still takes a piece of your heart with them.  If only there was a way to make people in the community aware of who has protection orders, with all the vehicles on the road now, maybe just maybe, someone would see something and be able to protect another family.  My heart goes out to the Bagley family, God Speed Amy, Coty and Monica, fly with the angels and fly free.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=611091543 Nicole Thomas

    Yes, that is my point. It is too late for them for people to sit here and admonish anyone’s actions. If people want to be upset, they need to change it for others in the future rather than obsess over the inactions or actions of others in this situation. It does no good for this woman and her children.

  • Anonymous

    And this woman’s restraining order was only good for so long. Then, as I understand it, you have to go to court to get it extended,etc.  The whole thing is a mess and not effective most of the time.

  • Anonymous

    If you cannot have sympathy for me in an abuse of a restraining order situation than you do not have the skills to see the complexity of the situation in any real light. The restraining order against me was thrown out when I finally got my day in court. With this guys bad decisions already I doubt that would be the same outcome for him. I hope someone takes your kids so that you can see the anguish it causes. To fear for the safety of your own children while a judicial system balks. If this guy with mental illness received help instead of persecution this would be a different story.

  • Anonymous

    I agree with all you wrote.
    Sadly, photos can be misleading.  People can look happy in a photo, but there can be a lot more going on.  I do agree with you though…..the children look happy and usually unhappy children will look sullen,etc.  It seems they had a wonderful loving mother. All the people at her school where she taught kindergarten , spoke highly of her and said her students were so glad to have her as their teacher.  What a tragedy.

  • Anonymous

    I agree, but perhaps she didn’t want one.  She did have a right to have a choice to have a gun or not.  She should not have “had” to have a gun.  She should have been left in peace.

  • Anonymous

    Before everyone jumps on me, she was a very pretty woman. Did he get this pissed cause of missing his sons 8th grade graduation or was she starting to see someone else and that is what drove him to this. That in itself probably drove him nuts but there is and was no excuse to kill her and the children. I have seen it before, jealousy is a very strong emotion that can blind a person. I had the experience of someone I know who was killed by the ex husband over his ex seeing someone else. Again, There is and was no excuse.

  • Anonymous

    Yeah, really “awesome”.  How old are you? 

  • Anonymous

    Yep, because blaming the victim is the solution.  You’re right.  I guess you haven’t experienced violence and I’m glad for you, but have a bit of class and sympathy.  This was not her fault, she tried to escape.

  • Anonymous

    Yep, because blaming the victim is the solution.  You’re right.  I guess you haven’t experienced violence and I’m glad for you, but have a bit of class and sympathy.  This was not her fault, she tried to escape.

  • Anonymous

    She should not have married him if she was not committed to making it work. She should have got him some help instead of driving a stake in his heart.

  • Anonymous

    She should not have married him if she was not committed to making it work. She should have got him some help instead of driving a stake in his heart.

  • Anonymous

    Old enough to know you are a troll. : )

  • Anonymous

    Old enough to know you are a troll. : )

  • Anonymous

    Words escape me, this story goes beyond tragic. My heart goes out to the families involved, and I pray that God’s presence and peace will give you all comfort and in the days, weeks and months ahead. Many thoughts are with you.

  • Anonymous

    Words escape me, this story goes beyond tragic. My heart goes out to the families involved, and I pray that God’s presence and peace will give you all comfort and in the days, weeks and months ahead. Many thoughts are with you.

  • Anonymous

    There are no words for this. My heart truly goes out to Amy, Monica and Coty and their relatives and friends. This is horrifying.

  • Anonymous

    There are no words for this. My heart truly goes out to Amy, Monica and Coty and their relatives and friends. This is horrifying.

  • Anonymous

    Just no reason for this.  We should require anyone with a restraining order on them to wear electronic tracking devices and to alert police when they get too close.  The technology exists and is the only way to keep violent people away from their victimes. 

    It’s not the judicial system’s fault.  Most orders are probably adhered to, but some violent people will ignore them.  Let’s use technology to enforce these orders and protect people.

  • Anonymous

    Just no reason for this.  We should require anyone with a restraining order on them to wear electronic tracking devices and to alert police when they get too close.  The technology exists and is the only way to keep violent people away from their victimes. 

    It’s not the judicial system’s fault.  Most orders are probably adhered to, but some violent people will ignore them.  Let’s use technology to enforce these orders and protect people.

  • Anonymous

    well said

  • Anonymous

    well said

  • Anonymous

    I agree with the electronic devices but I disagree that the judicial system is not partially at fault. They left a women living in fear and a mentally disturbed man without a voice or options.

  • FedUpMainer

    A restraining order means nothing to people that need to have one put against them in the first place, especially if they are mentally unbalanced in the first place

  • Anonymous

    Are you serious?

  • Anonymous

    Are you serious?

  • Anonymous

    Are you serious?

  • Anonymous

    Are you serious?

  • Anonymous

    Are you serious?

  • Anonymous

    Are you serious?

  • Anonymous

    Thank you for stating what others cannot grasp. 

  • Anonymous

    That poster is out to lunch.

  • Anonymous

    This will be my last reply to your nonsense as it appears you are not all there.

    I said not many would have sympathy with your views about what happened to this family.  Was not talking about your personal situation; that is not at all what we are concerned about here.
    You have shown the low caliber of person you are with  “I hope it happens to your children” .  You are below responding to.    Perhaps your situation is more understandable based on that comment and others. 

  • Anonymous

    I wouldn’t even bother with him/her based on his posts here. Deplorable….

  • Anonymous

    Seems that there’s always someone hurting in custody battles and divorces; kooks are not gender-specific. But, children will eventually figure out, as they grow up, who’s the bulls**tter. We can only hope that whoever gets left out of their children’s lives will have the maturity and wits about them not to wreak the sort of havoc that this man did. As painful as it may be, time will take care of many situations. Bullets will not.

  • Anonymous

    So you disagree that this man needed help? I don’t understand how anyone could think that.

  • Anonymous

    Yes, but in this case, I would still say suicide would have been “preferable” to what happened. Those 3 innocent people should be enjoying their lives on earth right now. They had so much to give and to experience yet.

  • Anonymous

    That is a very black and white view. It means everything to a man who has just lost his kids. So much so that he thought he had no other options. This man needed help, jail or both but dismissing his opinion is the reason for this situation. 

  • Anonymous

    And what are my views about what happened to this family? If you are saying that you can have sympathy for someone who is abused by the restraining order policies than that different from what I got from your statements. You seem like the kind of person who doesn’t care about the feelings of others until the same thing happens to you. So you should have it happen so you understand. If you are just trying to pick a fight you should stop commenting.

  • Anonymous

    And what are my views about what happened to this family? If you are saying that you can have sympathy for someone who is abused by the restraining order policies than that different from what I got from your statements. You seem like the kind of person who doesn’t care about the feelings of others until the same thing happens to you. So you should have it happen so you understand. If you are just trying to pick a fight you should stop commenting.

  • Anonymous

    And what are my views about what happened to this family? If you are saying that you can have sympathy for someone who is abused by the restraining order policies than that different from what I got from your statements. You seem like the kind of person who doesn’t care about the feelings of others until the same thing happens to you. So you should have it happen so you understand. If you are just trying to pick a fight you should stop commenting.

  • Anonymous

    Un-freakin’-real…

  • Anonymous

    leave the ”gun permit” out of this. wether or not he had a concealed carry permit,which I assume is what your referring to had nothing to do with what happened.

  • Anonymous

    restraining orders and protection from abuse orders only affect those who choose to follow them. not to mention there usually just used as retaliation in divorce cases.

  • Anonymous

    Then why are you? Troll : )

  • Anonymous

    You have no choice if you are served with one. 

  • Anonymous

    I hope he is in Hell.

  • Anonymous

    THE MAN DOESN’T EVEN DESERVE A CHRISTIAN BURIAL MORE LIKE A BURN PIT

  • Anonymous

    You’re sick! Get help!

  • Anonymous

    Nothing drove him to this…he is mentally ill.

  • Anonymous

    Nothing drove him to this…he is mentally ill.

  • Anonymous

    Nothing drove him to this…he is mentally ill.

  • Anonymous

    Nothing drove him to this…he is mentally ill.

  • Anonymous

    Nothing drove him to this…he is mentally ill.

  • Anonymous

    He had a voice and plenty of options. He could have talked to a friend or therapist. He could have visited a psychiatrist and taken medication. He could have refrained from killing his wife and kids.

  • Anonymous

    In a way, that sounds reasonable. Yet… if it hadn’t been that “breaking point,” it would surely have been another. Not being able to attend a child’s graduation is not much of an excuse for getting so enraged that he murdered the child, after all. Let him attend the graduation, and he might have declared he was just so unhappy and overwhelmed that he had to take the kids fishing (with a police escort). I really think that only being in jail would have stopped him from doing all this.

  • Anonymous

    Exactly right.  And had he conducted himself differently in the past he WOULD have been able to see them.

  • Anonymous

    That is where the judicial system failed. He did not see a psychiatrist or get medication did he. You are pretending that mentally ill people can always understand what is best for them disregarding the illness in the first place. That makes no sense. Did he have the option to see his kids? He was not handled properly. Sure you can just say that this guy is rare and he is sick but that won’t save the next victim now will it?

  • Anonymous

    This is not the lawmakers fault, families fault or that of law enforcement. The bottom line is that if someone wants you dead and doesn’t care about the consequences that is usually what happens. 9-11 was a sad reminder of that. This event is unimaginable to the sane. 

  • Anonymous

    This is not the lawmakers fault, families fault or that of law enforcement. The bottom line is that if someone wants you dead and doesn’t care about the consequences that is usually what happens. 9-11 was a sad reminder of that. This event is unimaginable to the sane. 

  • Anonymous

    This is not the lawmakers fault, families fault or that of law enforcement. The bottom line is that if someone wants you dead and doesn’t care about the consequences that is usually what happens. 9-11 was a sad reminder of that. This event is unimaginable to the sane. 

  • Anonymous

    This is not the lawmakers fault, families fault or that of law enforcement. The bottom line is that if someone wants you dead and doesn’t care about the consequences that is usually what happens. 9-11 was a sad reminder of that. This event is unimaginable to the sane. 

  • Anonymous

    This is not the lawmakers fault, families fault or that of law enforcement. The bottom line is that if someone wants you dead and doesn’t care about the consequences that is usually what happens. 9-11 was a sad reminder of that. This event is unimaginable to the sane. 

  • Anonymous

    This is not the lawmakers fault, families fault or that of law enforcement. The bottom line is that if someone wants you dead and doesn’t care about the consequences that is usually what happens. 9-11 was a sad reminder of that. This event is unimaginable to the sane. 

  • Anonymous

    This is not the lawmakers fault, families fault or that of law enforcement. The bottom line is that if someone wants you dead and doesn’t care about the consequences that is usually what happens. 9-11 was a sad reminder of that. This event is unimaginable to the sane. 

  • Anonymous

    This is not the lawmakers fault, families fault or that of law enforcement. The bottom line is that if someone wants you dead and doesn’t care about the consequences that is usually what happens. 9-11 was a sad reminder of that. This event is unimaginable to the sane. 

  • Karen

    re-read the article! when a protection order is placed on a person- that person IS NOT to have any guns! and your question of’ quote” Did he have a valid gun permit?” is really a stupid question to even ask.. My Land!

  • Karen

    re-read the article! when a protection order is placed on a person- that person IS NOT to have any guns! and your question of’ quote” Did he have a valid gun permit?” is really a stupid question to even ask.. My Land!

  • Karen

    re-read the article! when a protection order is placed on a person- that person IS NOT to have any guns! and your question of’ quote” Did he have a valid gun permit?” is really a stupid question to even ask.. My Land!

  • Karen

    re-read the article! when a protection order is placed on a person- that person IS NOT to have any guns! and your question of’ quote” Did he have a valid gun permit?” is really a stupid question to even ask.. My Land!

  • Karen

    re-read the article! when a protection order is placed on a person- that person IS NOT to have any guns! and your question of’ quote” Did he have a valid gun permit?” is really a stupid question to even ask.. My Land!

  • Karen

    re-read the article! when a protection order is placed on a person- that person IS NOT to have any guns! and your question of’ quote” Did he have a valid gun permit?” is really a stupid question to even ask.. My Land!

  • Karen

    re-read the article! when a protection order is placed on a person- that person IS NOT to have any guns! and your question of’ quote” Did he have a valid gun permit?” is really a stupid question to even ask.. My Land!

  • Karen

    re-read the article! when a protection order is placed on a person- that person IS NOT to have any guns! and your question of’ quote” Did he have a valid gun permit?” is really a stupid question to even ask.. My Land!

  • Karen

    re-read the article! when a protection order is placed on a person- that person IS NOT to have any guns! and your question of’ quote” Did he have a valid gun permit?” is really a stupid question to even ask.. My Land!

  • Anonymous

    It is the job of police and the government to provide security to citizens. They failed to do that even after claims of threats of violence. You’re attitude continues to hold them unaccountable for the duties they are sworn to uphold.

  • Anonymous

    It is the job of police and the government to provide security to citizens. They failed to do that even after claims of threats of violence. You’re attitude continues to hold them unaccountable for the duties they are sworn to uphold.

  • Anonymous

    You have a good point. On another thread (about his threats and gun by the bedside), there are photos of just him…..if you can stand looking at them.

  • Anonymous

    You have a good point. On another thread (about his threats and gun by the bedside), there are photos of just him…..if you can stand looking at them.

  • Anonymous

    You have a good point. On another thread (about his threats and gun by the bedside), there are photos of just him…..if you can stand looking at them.

  • Anonymous

    You have a good point. On another thread (about his threats and gun by the bedside), there are photos of just him…..if you can stand looking at them.

  • Anonymous

    a scenario quite possible…

  • Anonymous

    a scenario quite possible…

  • Tax All Liberals

    What in hell has happened to the State of Maine? Murder has become the news du jour every day. I grew up just a short few miles from this place and the only murder I can remember was a man killing his wife and then turning himself in. This is totally nuts.

  • Tax All Liberals

    What in hell has happened to the State of Maine? Murder has become the news du jour every day. I grew up just a short few miles from this place and the only murder I can remember was a man killing his wife and then turning himself in. This is totally nuts.

  • Tax All Liberals

    What in hell has happened to the State of Maine? Murder has become the news du jour every day. I grew up just a short few miles from this place and the only murder I can remember was a man killing his wife and then turning himself in. This is totally nuts.

  • Tax All Liberals

    What in hell has happened to the State of Maine? Murder has become the news du jour every day. I grew up just a short few miles from this place and the only murder I can remember was a man killing his wife and then turning himself in. This is totally nuts.

  • Centaurmyst

    They were trying to say that the father should have sought out treatment for his very obvious psychological issues rather than murder and/or suicide.  If he would have taken responsibility for his problems and gotten help then not only would they all still be alive he would also be able to see his children.

  • Centaurmyst

    They were trying to say that the father should have sought out treatment for his very obvious psychological issues rather than murder and/or suicide.  If he would have taken responsibility for his problems and gotten help then not only would they all still be alive he would also be able to see his children.

  • Centaurmyst

    They were trying to say that the father should have sought out treatment for his very obvious psychological issues rather than murder and/or suicide.  If he would have taken responsibility for his problems and gotten help then not only would they all still be alive he would also be able to see his children.

  • Centaurmyst

    They were trying to say that the father should have sought out treatment for his very obvious psychological issues rather than murder and/or suicide.  If he would have taken responsibility for his problems and gotten help then not only would they all still be alive he would also be able to see his children.

  • Karen

    Very well said to the ones that just don’t know how to read or even think of  the stupid questions they are saying and posting on this…  My Land!  

    I feel so bad for the family members and the community folks that knew them. such a shame. 

  • Karen

    Very well said to the ones that just don’t know how to read or even think of  the stupid questions they are saying and posting on this…  My Land!  

    I feel so bad for the family members and the community folks that knew them. such a shame. 

  • Karen

    Very well said to the ones that just don’t know how to read or even think of  the stupid questions they are saying and posting on this…  My Land!  

    I feel so bad for the family members and the community folks that knew them. such a shame. 

  • Karen

    Very well said to the ones that just don’t know how to read or even think of  the stupid questions they are saying and posting on this…  My Land!  

    I feel so bad for the family members and the community folks that knew them. such a shame. 

  • Anonymous

    You have the choice whether or not to follow it.  Unfortunately some people only look at restraining orders as a piece of paper.  Many women in domestic violence situations choose not to get restraining orders, just so they don’t make the other person more angry.

  • Anonymous

    You have the choice whether or not to follow it.  Unfortunately some people only look at restraining orders as a piece of paper.  Many women in domestic violence situations choose not to get restraining orders, just so they don’t make the other person more angry.

  • Anonymous

    You have the choice whether or not to follow it.  Unfortunately some people only look at restraining orders as a piece of paper.  Many women in domestic violence situations choose not to get restraining orders, just so they don’t make the other person more angry.

  • Anonymous

    You have the choice whether or not to follow it.  Unfortunately some people only look at restraining orders as a piece of paper.  Many women in domestic violence situations choose not to get restraining orders, just so they don’t make the other person more angry.

  • ladybaroque

    I so agree with you, Comservativewins!  This guy was obviously depressed and his perspective was a bit warped.   He obviously thought that the wife and kids were extensions of himself in which he could do with what he wanted with them.  This is about control, controlling another person’s life to suit oneself.   He was not happy when he lost control of his family because of his behavior.   He wanted to kill himself and believed that his wife and kids wanted the same!

  • ladybaroque

    I so agree with you, Comservativewins!  This guy was obviously depressed and his perspective was a bit warped.   He obviously thought that the wife and kids were extensions of himself in which he could do with what he wanted with them.  This is about control, controlling another person’s life to suit oneself.   He was not happy when he lost control of his family because of his behavior.   He wanted to kill himself and believed that his wife and kids wanted the same!

  • ladybaroque

    I so agree with you, Comservativewins!  This guy was obviously depressed and his perspective was a bit warped.   He obviously thought that the wife and kids were extensions of himself in which he could do with what he wanted with them.  This is about control, controlling another person’s life to suit oneself.   He was not happy when he lost control of his family because of his behavior.   He wanted to kill himself and believed that his wife and kids wanted the same!

  • ladybaroque

    I so agree with you, Comservativewins!  This guy was obviously depressed and his perspective was a bit warped.   He obviously thought that the wife and kids were extensions of himself in which he could do with what he wanted with them.  This is about control, controlling another person’s life to suit oneself.   He was not happy when he lost control of his family because of his behavior.   He wanted to kill himself and believed that his wife and kids wanted the same!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_DV5OWUMO4JWKERNIDEIYDWWJQY Luise

    Thank you to the school staff for having the real concern and smarts, to call for a well being check.  You did your job, as hard as it maybe; the right thing was done.   My heart goes out to you and all involved.

    For everyone else, brace yourself…although it appears that protections are in place, there really is not.  This is real and happens behind closed doors all the time.  The question is how many are going to have to die before actually real help and protection is provide, when it comes to domestic abuse.  Will 2 murder/suicides in two weeks do it? That’s the real news story.

    May grace be extended to all.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_DV5OWUMO4JWKERNIDEIYDWWJQY Luise

    Thank you to the school staff for having the real concern and smarts, to call for a well being check.  You did your job, as hard as it maybe; the right thing was done.   My heart goes out to you and all involved.

    For everyone else, brace yourself…although it appears that protections are in place, there really is not.  This is real and happens behind closed doors all the time.  The question is how many are going to have to die before actually real help and protection is provide, when it comes to domestic abuse.  Will 2 murder/suicides in two weeks do it? That’s the real news story.

    May grace be extended to all.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_DV5OWUMO4JWKERNIDEIYDWWJQY Luise

    Thank you to the school staff for having the real concern and smarts, to call for a well being check.  You did your job, as hard as it maybe; the right thing was done.   My heart goes out to you and all involved.

    For everyone else, brace yourself…although it appears that protections are in place, there really is not.  This is real and happens behind closed doors all the time.  The question is how many are going to have to die before actually real help and protection is provide, when it comes to domestic abuse.  Will 2 murder/suicides in two weeks do it? That’s the real news story.

    May grace be extended to all.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_DV5OWUMO4JWKERNIDEIYDWWJQY Luise

    Thank you to the school staff for having the real concern and smarts, to call for a well being check.  You did your job, as hard as it maybe; the right thing was done.   My heart goes out to you and all involved.

    For everyone else, brace yourself…although it appears that protections are in place, there really is not.  This is real and happens behind closed doors all the time.  The question is how many are going to have to die before actually real help and protection is provide, when it comes to domestic abuse.  Will 2 murder/suicides in two weeks do it? That’s the real news story.

    May grace be extended to all.

  • Centaurmyst

    And if she had of (like the women from Knox County a few years back) then people would be bashing her saying that she could have left and gotten a protection order.  With some abusers it really doesn’t matter what you do…they are that sick.  This is why there seriously needs to be a DV registry so everyone can check for domestic violence history before even dating anyone.  

  • Anonymous

    exactly only he is to blame to for not seeing his kids.

  • Anonymous

    It is a poor state and times are getting desperate. Murder, being a crime of desperation, is a resultant affect.  

  • Karen

    Conservativewins- I’m sorry for what you had to go through too. Truly,  I am. God Bless !

  • Karen

    Conservativewins- I’m sorry for what you had to go through too. Truly,  I am. God Bless !

  • ladybaroque

    It’s too bad that this lady and her children didn’t find a shelter for women in the area.  These shelters can shield and protect women and children (most of the time).  I don’t know why the authorities didn’t give her that information so that she might be safe.

  • ladybaroque

    It’s too bad that this lady and her children didn’t find a shelter for women in the area.  These shelters can shield and protect women and children (most of the time).  I don’t know why the authorities didn’t give her that information so that she might be safe.

  • ladybaroque

    It’s too bad that this lady and her children didn’t find a shelter for women in the area.  These shelters can shield and protect women and children (most of the time).  I don’t know why the authorities didn’t give her that information so that she might be safe.

  • ladybaroque

    It’s too bad that this lady and her children didn’t find a shelter for women in the area.  These shelters can shield and protect women and children (most of the time).  I don’t know why the authorities didn’t give her that information so that she might be safe.

  • ladybaroque

    It’s too bad that this lady and her children didn’t find a shelter for women in the area.  These shelters can shield and protect women and children (most of the time).  I don’t know why the authorities didn’t give her that information so that she might be safe.

  • ladybaroque

    It’s too bad that this lady and her children didn’t find a shelter for women in the area.  These shelters can shield and protect women and children (most of the time).  I don’t know why the authorities didn’t give her that information so that she might be safe.

  • Anonymous

    I’m with SoxFan, if she had wanted a gun, then she sure could’ve had one. 

    Sounds to me like you’re using this event to advance your agenda.  Shame on you as much as on anyone who would use someone’s misfortune for such a purpose.   

  • Anonymous

    I’m with SoxFan, if she had wanted a gun, then she sure could’ve had one. 

    Sounds to me like you’re using this event to advance your agenda.  Shame on you as much as on anyone who would use someone’s misfortune for such a purpose.   

  • Anonymous

    I’m with SoxFan, if she had wanted a gun, then she sure could’ve had one. 

    Sounds to me like you’re using this event to advance your agenda.  Shame on you as much as on anyone who would use someone’s misfortune for such a purpose.   

  • Anonymous

    I’m with SoxFan, if she had wanted a gun, then she sure could’ve had one. 

    Sounds to me like you’re using this event to advance your agenda.  Shame on you as much as on anyone who would use someone’s misfortune for such a purpose.   

  • Anonymous

    I agree and very good idea for the wearing the tracking device, and make the abuser pay for it. They have them for people that are under house arrest why not people charged with abuse? Very good Idea. One thing that is good about comment sections,it is like a cross-functional group of people that may have an idea that may help in situations like this.
     
    Now if sombody in the judicial system reads this and maybe pushes to enforce something like this on people charged with domestic violence that would be great.The tax payers would not pay for it the abusers would have to pay for it.

  • Anonymous

    I agree and very good idea for the wearing the tracking device, and make the abuser pay for it. They have them for people that are under house arrest why not people charged with abuse? Very good Idea. One thing that is good about comment sections,it is like a cross-functional group of people that may have an idea that may help in situations like this.
     
    Now if sombody in the judicial system reads this and maybe pushes to enforce something like this on people charged with domestic violence that would be great.The tax payers would not pay for it the abusers would have to pay for it.

  • Anonymous

    That is very naive of you. You do not have a choice to follow it or not. If you child is taken away that is what happens. If you are labeled an domestic abuser than you have no voice in any court of law whether the labels are founded or not. These men need help. They need counseling or jail and these women need to be protected. Flippant views on the ideas of lasting marriage or duties of government is a societal problem. This family is paying the price. 

  • Centaurmyst

    Yes, they are issued daily, but they have become fairly automatic in any domestic disputes just to “be safe.”  

  • Anonymous

    If you have a petition to sign that you want to send to an official that could handle this I would sign it. The ankle bracelet with a proximity warning is a great idea. 

  • Anonymous

    Good points.  This is SO tragic in every way.  Although what this man did is inexcusable it’s hard for me to believe that 100% of the issues were his.  As a man that has had DV inflicted on me, I can assure you that the “system” that everyone is blaming MAY indeed be responsible.  But not in the way you would imagine.  I can only speak for my experience but the system is stacked against males to the point that I’ve always wondered when something like this would happen.  Don’t get me wrong, this guy was a gutless  coward, period. And I am NOT defending him. I would just like to bring up the point that men don’t always get a fair shake from the “system”.

  • Tax All Liberals

    There is poverty but there has always been poverty. We just didn’t know we were poor until somebody with Kumbaya dust in their eyes told us so. We painted our homes, kept the yards looking decent. We shopped at the local stores and took pride in our communities. Murder was damn rare! What in hell has changed? There were no meth labs in Dover-Foxcroft. Mass murderers were not on the run in Guilford or Milo. Thugs were not beating youths half to death behind the hospital. The moral character of our communities has changed.

  • Tax All Liberals

    There is poverty but there has always been poverty. We just didn’t know we were poor until somebody with Kumbaya dust in their eyes told us so. We painted our homes, kept the yards looking decent. We shopped at the local stores and took pride in our communities. Murder was damn rare! What in hell has changed? There were no meth labs in Dover-Foxcroft. Mass murderers were not on the run in Guilford or Milo. Thugs were not beating youths half to death behind the hospital. The moral character of our communities has changed.

  • Tax All Liberals

    There is poverty but there has always been poverty. We just didn’t know we were poor until somebody with Kumbaya dust in their eyes told us so. We painted our homes, kept the yards looking decent. We shopped at the local stores and took pride in our communities. Murder was damn rare! What in hell has changed? There were no meth labs in Dover-Foxcroft. Mass murderers were not on the run in Guilford or Milo. Thugs were not beating youths half to death behind the hospital. The moral character of our communities has changed.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Davida-Willette/100000655412147 Davida Willette

    what amy should have done is gotten into a wittness protection program and moved out of state start up new indentities for her and her children the first time he threatened to kill them 

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Davida-Willette/100000655412147 Davida Willette

    what amy should have done is gotten into a wittness protection program and moved out of state start up new indentities for her and her children the first time he threatened to kill them 

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Davida-Willette/100000655412147 Davida Willette

    what amy should have done is gotten into a wittness protection program and moved out of state start up new indentities for her and her children the first time he threatened to kill them 

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_GTKGMUHLI6XEPPSCZHIQ7HODWE Duckman

    You should check out the Castle Rock case and the Warren case to help you understanding of serving and protecting.

    My heart goes out to this mom and children…

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_GTKGMUHLI6XEPPSCZHIQ7HODWE Duckman

    You should check out the Castle Rock case and the Warren case to help you understanding of serving and protecting.

    My heart goes out to this mom and children…

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_GTKGMUHLI6XEPPSCZHIQ7HODWE Duckman

    You should check out the Castle Rock case and the Warren case to help you understanding of serving and protecting.

    My heart goes out to this mom and children…

  • Centaurmyst

    There were a few things she could legally have done to get away from this man once the final court decision was made.  People who are victims of abuse this severe can get new social security numbers and she could have done that and then took those kids and moved far away and started over.  She also could have petitioned probate court to change their names.  The best time to do all this is while the abuser is in jail.

  • Centaurmyst

    There were a few things she could legally have done to get away from this man once the final court decision was made.  People who are victims of abuse this severe can get new social security numbers and she could have done that and then took those kids and moved far away and started over.  She also could have petitioned probate court to change their names.  The best time to do all this is while the abuser is in jail.

  • Centaurmyst

    There were a few things she could legally have done to get away from this man once the final court decision was made.  People who are victims of abuse this severe can get new social security numbers and she could have done that and then took those kids and moved far away and started over.  She also could have petitioned probate court to change their names.  The best time to do all this is while the abuser is in jail.

  • Centaurmyst

    There were a few things she could legally have done to get away from this man once the final court decision was made.  People who are victims of abuse this severe can get new social security numbers and she could have done that and then took those kids and moved far away and started over.  She also could have petitioned probate court to change their names.  The best time to do all this is while the abuser is in jail.

  • Centaurmyst

    There were a few things she could legally have done to get away from this man once the final court decision was made.  People who are victims of abuse this severe can get new social security numbers and she could have done that and then took those kids and moved far away and started over.  She also could have petitioned probate court to change their names.  The best time to do all this is while the abuser is in jail.

  • Centaurmyst

    There were a few things she could legally have done to get away from this man once the final court decision was made.  People who are victims of abuse this severe can get new social security numbers and she could have done that and then took those kids and moved far away and started over.  She also could have petitioned probate court to change their names.  The best time to do all this is while the abuser is in jail.

  • Centaurmyst

    There were a few things she could legally have done to get away from this man once the final court decision was made.  People who are victims of abuse this severe can get new social security numbers and she could have done that and then took those kids and moved far away and started over.  She also could have petitioned probate court to change their names.  The best time to do all this is while the abuser is in jail.

  • Centaurmyst

    There were a few things she could legally have done to get away from this man once the final court decision was made.  People who are victims of abuse this severe can get new social security numbers and she could have done that and then took those kids and moved far away and started over.  She also could have petitioned probate court to change their names.  The best time to do all this is while the abuser is in jail.

  • Centaurmyst

    There were a few things she could legally have done to get away from this man once the final court decision was made.  People who are victims of abuse this severe can get new social security numbers and she could have done that and then took those kids and moved far away and started over.  She also could have petitioned probate court to change their names.  The best time to do all this is while the abuser is in jail.

  • Anonymous

    So any woman in america can just swoop up the kids and disappear at any time regardless of the rights or wants of the father. That is sick.

  • http://www.facebook.com/MaryDuBoisPinkham Mary DuBois Pinkham

    3 murder/suicides in 3 weeks

  • http://www.facebook.com/MaryDuBoisPinkham Mary DuBois Pinkham

    3 murder/suicides in 3 weeks

  • http://www.facebook.com/MaryDuBoisPinkham Mary DuBois Pinkham

    3 murder/suicides in 3 weeks

  • Anonymous

    I’m willing to pay a few more bucks in taxes to prevent something like this from happening again.

  • Anonymous

    I’m willing to pay a few more bucks in taxes to prevent something like this from happening again.

  • Anonymous

    I’m willing to pay a few more bucks in taxes to prevent something like this from happening again.

  • Anonymous

    I’m willing to pay a few more bucks in taxes to prevent something like this from happening again.

  • Diogenes

    Too bad “God” didn’t stop him when he saw this coming.

  • Diogenes

    Too bad “God” didn’t stop him when he saw this coming.

  • Diogenes

    Too bad “God” didn’t stop him when he saw this coming.

  • Diogenes

    Too bad “God” didn’t stop him when he saw this coming.

  • Anonymous

    Speechless.  I lok at my two children and the way they look at me.  I cant imagine how someone could do this.  My prayers are with those touched by this act of selfishness.  Godspeed to the three victims and as for Steve, well I don’t see any help from the Lord for you.

  • Anonymous

    Speechless.  I lok at my two children and the way they look at me.  I cant imagine how someone could do this.  My prayers are with those touched by this act of selfishness.  Godspeed to the three victims and as for Steve, well I don’t see any help from the Lord for you.

  • Anonymous

    Protection orders are not ‘usually just used as retaliation in divorce cases’.  It is attitudes like that that keep the system from taking domestic violence seriously. When do you believe the victim – when they are dead??   It is usually when a victim is leaving the abuser is the most dangerous time, therefore more orders of protection.

  • Anonymous

    Protection orders are not ‘usually just used as retaliation in divorce cases’.  It is attitudes like that that keep the system from taking domestic violence seriously. When do you believe the victim – when they are dead??   It is usually when a victim is leaving the abuser is the most dangerous time, therefore more orders of protection.

  • Anonymous

    My original post, doesn’t clearly identify the point I wanted to make.  If we do not examineanalyze the actions or lack of actions in this situation, by all those involved; how do we learn from it, so that it can be prevented from ever happening again?  It is too late for these victims, and that is a tragedy.  We need to identify what broke down (besides the husband’s mental state) and where it should be fixed.

    (What in this particular situation would have an immediate impact as to prevent this from happening? Him attending the graduation.  Not to say something else wouldn’t have triggered it, but would this have bought enough time to bring him to trial for earlier offenses?) 

  • Anonymous

    My original post, doesn’t clearly identify the point I wanted to make.  If we do not examineanalyze the actions or lack of actions in this situation, by all those involved; how do we learn from it, so that it can be prevented from ever happening again?  It is too late for these victims, and that is a tragedy.  We need to identify what broke down (besides the husband’s mental state) and where it should be fixed.

    (What in this particular situation would have an immediate impact as to prevent this from happening? Him attending the graduation.  Not to say something else wouldn’t have triggered it, but would this have bought enough time to bring him to trial for earlier offenses?) 

  • Anonymous

    Much easier said than done. Why should she and her family have to run at all. Her husband should have been taken more seriously by the courts.

    Word of wisdom to women who find comfort in a restraining order, protect yourself. The police will only show up after the assault/murder to take a report. They can not and are not there to protect you and your family in this type situation.

  • Anonymous

    Much easier said than done. Why should she and her family have to run at all. Her husband should have been taken more seriously by the courts.

    Word of wisdom to women who find comfort in a restraining order, protect yourself. The police will only show up after the assault/murder to take a report. They can not and are not there to protect you and your family in this type situation.

  • Diogenes

    Of course you have a choice.  This guy made the choice not to follow it.  That’s why they’re all  gone. 
     
    As for your blaming the “flippant” views, domestic abuse has lessened over the years.  In the “good old days” is was considered acceptable for a man to hit his wife if he felt she was out of line.  Take a look at ads from the 50′s.  It was common.

  • Diogenes

    Of course you have a choice.  This guy made the choice not to follow it.  That’s why they’re all  gone. 
     
    As for your blaming the “flippant” views, domestic abuse has lessened over the years.  In the “good old days” is was considered acceptable for a man to hit his wife if he felt she was out of line.  Take a look at ads from the 50′s.  It was common.

  • valgal10

    every knew something ‘Bad” was going to happen….everyone but the court system…why was this man even out of jail…..omg this is so sad

  • valgal10

    every knew something ‘Bad” was going to happen….everyone but the court system…why was this man even out of jail…..omg this is so sad

  • valgal10

    every knew something ‘Bad” was going to happen….everyone but the court system…why was this man even out of jail…..omg this is so sad

  • asportsfan

    BDN- will you please, please take the photo of him off this page?  There are many pictures of the three innocent victims that don’t include him that could be used instead.

  • asportsfan

    BDN- will you please, please take the photo of him off this page?  There are many pictures of the three innocent victims that don’t include him that could be used instead.

  • asportsfan

    BDN- will you please, please take the photo of him off this page?  There are many pictures of the three innocent victims that don’t include him that could be used instead.

  • valgal10

    everyone knew something “Bad” was going to happen, everyone but the court system…why was this man not in jail??? this is so sad…

  • valgal10

    everyone knew something “Bad” was going to happen, everyone but the court system…why was this man not in jail??? this is so sad…

  • valgal10

    everyone knew something “Bad” was going to happen, everyone but the court system…why was this man not in jail??? this is so sad…

  • Anonymous

    Good suggestions, but sometimes not that “easy.”  The fear that she might have had , with all the technology out there, etc., he could have located them and killed them. Of course, that happened anyway, but how was she to always think clearly with that man and his violence and threats  hanging over her..(and his gun by the bedside, and what he said he would do)  I realize she and the children were no longer living with him, but did he still live nearby?  She must have been scared out of her mind….

  • Anonymous

    I’m going to hug my kids hard tonight! These poor little souls!

  • Anonymous

    If you think the poverty we are experiencing now is the same as ever than you need to read a newspaper. When  you cannot provide food for  yourself and your family desperate things seem normal.

  • Anonymous

    Do you have a link to any information about those cases? I am curious as to what you are insinuating.

  • Anonymous

    Do you have a link to any information about those cases? I am curious as to what you are insinuating.

  • Anonymous

    You have to wonder if having a Facebook page contributed to this.  It sounds like he used to build / promote his obession. 

  • Anonymous

    You have to wonder if having a Facebook page contributed to this.  It sounds like he used to build / promote his obession. 

  • Anonymous

    You have to wonder if having a Facebook page contributed to this.  It sounds like he used to build / promote his obession. 

  • Anonymous

    You have to wonder if having a Facebook page contributed to this.  It sounds like he used to build / promote his obession. 

  • newportres

    “Sadly, there wasn’t anything anyone could do to stop him and there is no amount of second thought that can change what he did.”

    Yeah there was. 
    They could have kept him in jail after the first time he violated the order.
    “He also faced charges for violating a condition of release and violating a protective order stemming from an incident last November.”

    Once again our system has failed to protect the people it was meant to protect. 

  • newportres

    “Sadly, there wasn’t anything anyone could do to stop him and there is no amount of second thought that can change what he did.”

    Yeah there was. 
    They could have kept him in jail after the first time he violated the order.
    “He also faced charges for violating a condition of release and violating a protective order stemming from an incident last November.”

    Once again our system has failed to protect the people it was meant to protect. 

  • newportres

    “Sadly, there wasn’t anything anyone could do to stop him and there is no amount of second thought that can change what he did.”

    Yeah there was. 
    They could have kept him in jail after the first time he violated the order.
    “He also faced charges for violating a condition of release and violating a protective order stemming from an incident last November.”

    Once again our system has failed to protect the people it was meant to protect. 

  • Anonymous

    I agree, and you sound like a caring and perceptive person.

  • Anonymous

    I agree, and you sound like a caring and perceptive person.

  • Anonymous

    I agree, and you sound like a caring and perceptive person.

  • Anonymous

    I agree, and you sound like a caring and perceptive person.

  • newportres

    You need to take your meds too I’m thinking.

  • Anonymous

    It is the inability of our judges to do their job and decipher the two that is the problem. 

  • Anonymous

    What is sick? The children are now dead. Had they left and he couldn’t find them, they still would be alive. This man had no rights after the terror he had already caused.

  • Anonymous

    First of all in the old days marriage actually meant something. They were married that should be till death do us part not until something a little richer or better looking comes along. No man should ever hit a woman but you cannot say that all men that have their kids taken away in a divorce hit the woman involved. It is a tactic used by malicious women and this state condones it. That alone has probably led to most of these deaths. It is convenient and easy to just scapegoat one part of the victims in this situation but that man could have had a life too. If the government actually did its job.

  • Anonymous

    First of all in the old days marriage actually meant something. They were married that should be till death do us part not until something a little richer or better looking comes along. No man should ever hit a woman but you cannot say that all men that have their kids taken away in a divorce hit the woman involved. It is a tactic used by malicious women and this state condones it. That alone has probably led to most of these deaths. It is convenient and easy to just scapegoat one part of the victims in this situation but that man could have had a life too. If the government actually did its job.

  • Anonymous

    The judicial system in maine is a joke run by jokers.

  • Anonymous

    The judicial system in maine is a joke run by jokers.

  • Anonymous

    They would be alive if he was in jail for doing what he did too. The judge failed these kids. Giving malicious women a new tool of terror is not the solution.

  • Anonymous

    They would be alive if he was in jail for doing what he did too. The judge failed these kids. Giving malicious women a new tool of terror is not the solution.

  • Anonymous

    You’re argument is idealistic and naive.

  • Anonymous

    You’re argument is idealistic and naive.

  • Anonymous

    I am not naive to the law.  I am a social worker, have worked in the mental health field for over a decade and see this everyday in various forms.  You always have a choice whether or not to follow an order.  There may be consequences to those choices, but they are still choices.  I absolutely agree that this is a population in need of good, helpful programs.  Unfortunately many domestic violence programs that focus on the “abuser” have the opposite effect.  Mental health is an ever changing field and will probably always be that way as society tries to find effective ways to help families be safe and stable.  It’s never going to be a perfect system, but one can hope that putting spotlights on these issues brings focus to them and people with good ideas and strategies to create positive programs will have the opportunity to come forth and be heard.

  • Anonymous

    Those positive ideas can be dismissed as quickly as you just did. By the people such as yourself that deal with them. Then people are still victimized because you fail to listen. You do not have a choice if you kid is taken away. You are dismissing the problem without discussing it and that is why things like this happen. Sure you can just blame this guy and move on but more will suffer. If you are not willing to understand or even listen to a man in that position than men will always feel helpless and do unthinkable things. Your complacency with a failing system is at fault as well.

  • Anonymous

    Orders of protection are useless pieces of paper.  Should be kept in the bathroom for all the good they do.

  • Anonymous

    I would say that you assume a lot.  You assume I wouldn’t listen and advocate for a man to get the help he needs.  You assume I would automatically take the side of the woman without any consideration to the entire situation and listening to both sides.  You assume I wouldn’t take this man’s case on and look high and low for effective assistance for him.  I am not dismissing anything.  As I stated this is a population in great need.  I am also not naive to the fact that there are people who use the “domestic violence” to their advantage just to be nasty in a divorce situation and it takes people to listen to sort out the truth.  There are people out there that actually do take that on and try to do right by all the people they deal with.  I am also aware that people have to want help, they have to be made aware of how to get that help and hope that there are resources in their area, which can be the most difficult to find. So, just as you don’t want all people in these situations lumped into a category, please do not do the same with social workers. We are not all the same.

  • Anonymous

    How in G### name is this woman malicious?  She is trying to save 3 lives, her 2 children, and her
    own. This woman must have been terrified of him and what he might do, and she had a right to be. Guys in jail do get out in time, and I doubt that their rage is abated, only intensified. 

  • Anonymous

    You blame the government, cops, poverty. Excuse me!  This is the fault of the animal that committed these crimes period.

  • Anonymous

    I am appalled that this photo was used to headline this story.  To use this is sensationalistic and very disrespectful to the families involved.  Show the victims separately or don’t show them at all.

  • Numbrrrs

    The judicial system should prioritize cases like this. If you threaten someone with a gun, you don’t have to wait a year for trial, you go to the head of the line. Especially if you are accused of violating conditions of bail.

    And how many pending cases of violent criminals are there? How many people accused of violating conditions of bail and protection orders are free right now?

    Perhaps I am mistaken, but I don’t see why the process can’t be dramatically sped up. The courts seem full of non-violent criminals who, frankly, can wait for their day in court until after we clear up situations like these.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_VANZLIHKQPPLZPYRZHKFC3MDTM Kim

    Seriously?

  • Tax All Liberals

    What has driven Maine’s poverty is an entitlement mentality and the decline of what used to be known as the Yankee work ethic. However, this is beyond the scope of this story.

  • Diogenes

    No, marriage didn’t mean any more back then.  Wives just put up with abusive husbands instead of leaving them. 
     
    As for your disgusting attempt to make the victims share the blame, I’ll just say that it’s that kind of idiotic thinking that used to keep wives in abusive relationships.  Thankfully those days are in the past.  Women don’t have to stay with husbands who think like you.  And as technology improves, women will be even safer when good-old-days neanderthals are wearing anklets that warn them, and police, when the abusive husband is prowling nearby.

  • http://www.lawyersmaine.com/index.php Wayne R Foote

    This is just terrible news.  I am saddened that this was not prevented.

  • Anonymous

     You watch too much TV.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_OLXQLFE27PV3JWP36VW23VG54E Heather

    In the state of Maine you do NOT have to have a gun permit. When you purchase a gun the retailer does a thorough background check, and as long as that is clear you can purchase a gun.

    When I went through a similar domestic abuse situation with my ex the police took away his guns that he had and would not return them to him. He broke through my protection order that I had against him on numerous occasions. Then when the protection order ended he started stalking and threatening me. I called the cops, he was arrested, he went to jail over night, we went to court and all that he got was a slap on the wrist and a “don’t do it again” even though he had a prior assault on record.

    The court system is screwed up, and apparently the police and judges just think that domestic violence is a pesky fly that if they ignore it, it will go away. I was failed by the system on many occasions, and I will never trust in the system again until someone pushes the issue.

  • Anonymous

    Probably not. But there is some thinking and studies that show those who are narcisstic thrive on some of those sites.  Don’t get me wrong……most people who use them are sane and sensible people. It would stand to reason,though, that it is just one more outlet for those who like to post photos of themselves….look for validation,etc. It “served
    someone like that Weiner and others.  (social networking)  But , I sure would not link that  (Facebook etc. )to what this man did.

  • Anonymous

    Hindsight is 20/20. Knowing what we know now, it is not a stretch to believe that he had held his family hostage a year ago. However, our legal system is based on a presumption of innocence. Any judge or Lawyer will tell you that a lot of accusations especially where divorce is concerned are overembelished or flat out untrue (I am not speaking of this case per se, strictly in general). Divorce is ugly business, it is what it is. However, when someone breaks a protection order after such allegations, that should send up a red flag. But again, a lot of the time, its a he said she said scenerio. There is no easy answer. You have to weigh the safety of the alleged victim against the rights of the accused. Speeding up a trial can be one way, however, there are a ton of things that get in the way of that such as sceduling conflicts for both the prosicution and defense, evidence discovery and an array of other legal motions. Someone said in another post that no matter what you do, given the constraints of our legal system (still the best model in history) you can’t totally eliminate these things from happening.

  • Anonymous

    Totally agree.

  • Anonymous

    Maybe this guy would’ve had visits with his kids if he didn’t hold them hostage last year. Too bad orders of protection are worthless. The system let another family fall through the cracks. Can’t we as a society figure out a solution that offers true protection for such victims?

  • Anonymous

    Maybe this guy would’ve had visits with his kids if he didn’t hold them hostage last year. Too bad orders of protection are worthless. The system let another family fall through the cracks. Can’t we as a society figure out a solution that offers true protection for such victims?

  • Anonymous

    Maybe this guy would’ve had visits with his kids if he didn’t hold them hostage last year. Too bad orders of protection are worthless. The system let another family fall through the cracks. Can’t we as a society figure out a solution that offers true protection for such victims?

  • Anonymous

    I know of an adoptee whose natural father tracked her through Facebook.Her adoptive parents had access to her page and approved everything on it.Yet a post about her giving a friend  a ride to work allowed the father to put two and two together and he showed up at her school(police were called)He meant no harm fortunately-he showed up to apologize and offer her money for school-but she was terrified.

  • Anonymous

    Bull Chit…A person that does this is mentally ill!

  • Anonymous

    Bull Chit…A person that does this is mentally ill!

  • Anonymous

    Bull Chit…A person that does this is mentally ill!

  • Larry T. Doughty

    The protection orders, are as useless as the paper they are printed on. This has been a serious issue for a year now. Here is a good solution to these domestic  issues, where there is a gun involved. The day of the arrest, a judge holds immediate trial, put’s the individual in jail until the day he is formerly sentence. Get the criminal off the streets. These type issues deserve the utmost attention in the court system, way ahead of anything on the docket. Those protection orders are a joke.

  • Larry T. Doughty

    The protection orders, are as useless as the paper they are printed on. This has been a serious issue for a year now. Here is a good solution to these domestic  issues, where there is a gun involved. The day of the arrest, a judge holds immediate trial, put’s the individual in jail until the day he is formerly sentence. Get the criminal off the streets. These type issues deserve the utmost attention in the court system, way ahead of anything on the docket. Those protection orders are a joke.

  • Larry T. Doughty

    The protection orders, are as useless as the paper they are printed on. This has been a serious issue for a year now. Here is a good solution to these domestic  issues, where there is a gun involved. The day of the arrest, a judge holds immediate trial, put’s the individual in jail until the day he is formerly sentence. Get the criminal off the streets. These type issues deserve the utmost attention in the court system, way ahead of anything on the docket. Those protection orders are a joke.

  • Tax All Liberals

    What in hael are you rambling about?

  • Tax All Liberals

    What in hael are you rambling about?

  • Anonymous

    I would have expected a somwhat more rational analysys from you Larry. Yeah, lets hold a trial on the day of the arrest, to heck with any investigation, gathering of witnesses, discovery and all of those other annoying details associated with due process and a fair trial. Hey, but it really does eliminate the hassle of picking an impartial jury now doesn’t it?

  • Anonymous

    I would have expected a somwhat more rational analysys from you Larry. Yeah, lets hold a trial on the day of the arrest, to heck with any investigation, gathering of witnesses, discovery and all of those other annoying details associated with due process and a fair trial. Hey, but it really does eliminate the hassle of picking an impartial jury now doesn’t it?

  • Larry T. Doughty

    Standing on my previous posting. Whenever the police have the ‘goods’, then it’s high time for action. Not bailing for another time to murder. Think about.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_VANZLIHKQPPLZPYRZHKFC3MDTM Kim

    That’s precisely why there are privacy settings on Facebook, so that anyone who isn’t on your friends list cannot see anything. If you want to find someone bad enough there is always a way of finding them.

  • Anonymous

    God please Bless the families and friends involed in this terrible tragedy,  Amen…

    There is a reason they’re are cases like this , and why protection orders seem useless.. It is because of the abuse of the protection system.. 50% of the cases are not real.. It is well known that if a woman claims to have been abused and files a complaint they automaticly get the kids… no matter what…It is the abuse of the system that ties up the courts.

  • Anonymous

    Was he always mentally ill? Do you know that. People can snap when their whole world seems to be crashing down. No excuses but it can and does happen. All we know is what happened Monday, we don’t know any more than that except 4 lifes are no longer here and making assumptions and thinking we have all the answers are not going to change any of it. Pictures in the paper says nothing of the true picture. Like I said before, if she was starting to see maybe someone else, no sons graduation, no visits. It obviously sparked to do this. He was 100% wrong, he should have seeked help, saw someone he loves or trusted to talk to, but he chose the wrong thing to do and for that, I hope he burns in hell.

  • Anonymous

    That is too true especially now.

  • Anonymous

    That is too true especially now.

  • Anonymous

    WELL SAID I agree 100%. Sorry for you also !!

  • Anonymous

    WELL SAID I agree 100%. Sorry for you also !!

  • Anonymous

    WELL SAID I agree 100%. Sorry for you also !!

  • Centaurmyst

    It’s not that difficult.  The victims should not have to leave and go into hiding, but that is often the only way to protect themselves.  I understand this quite well because that is exactly what I did.  No more harassment, no more frivolous law suits, no more threats, no more stalking and following of myself and my children…and no more assaults on myself or my children.  It was the best thing I ever did for my family because now we have a life.

  • ladybaroque

    But at least she would be alive…who cares what people say?  She was the only one that was experiencing this, not her neighbors.

  • ladybaroque

    I so agree!!

  • Centaurmyst

    Unfortunately, the legal system doesn’t adequately protect families from this severe of an abuser.  Honestly, the only thing she could have done was to get new SS#s, secretly change their names, take the children and just disappear…far away.  No forwarding mail, get the school records before leaving, get copies of medical records, etc.  A lawyer could help get everything in order.  Every victim of Domestic violence needs to have an exit strategy and emergency plan should they ever need it.  When I left, I took only important documents, what I could carry and my kids.  We got on a train and travelled over 1500 miles away, making several changes and purchasing the next tickets at each connection stop.  When we got off the last train we were picked up and driven through two more states by car.

  • Centaurmyst

    If the father has already held them hostage and threatened their lives once, then yes, the family should be given the means and assistance to disappear regardless of what the father wants.  He lost his rights the second he held his family hostage the FIRST time.  In severe cases, such as this, where there is solid proof of a risk of life the authorities should help the family escape and go into hiding.

  • Anonymous

    MAKE THE DEVICES SO THEY WORK LIKE A DOG TRAINING COLLAR WHEN THE PERSON GET TO CLOSE IT WORKS LIKE A TAZER AND DISABLES THE PERSON LONG ENOUGH FOR VICTIM TO GET AWAY COULD ALL SO GIVE VICTIM HAND HELD DEVICE FOR WHEN NOT AT HOME  THE STRONGER SHOCK THE BETTER

  • Anonymous

    MAKE THE DEVICES SO THEY WORK LIKE A DOG TRAINING COLLAR WHEN THE PERSON GET TO CLOSE IT WORKS LIKE A TAZER AND DISABLES THE PERSON LONG ENOUGH FOR VICTIM TO GET AWAY COULD ALL SO GIVE VICTIM HAND HELD DEVICE FOR WHEN NOT AT HOME  THE STRONGER SHOCK THE BETTER

  • Anonymous

    I don’t about a shock, but it should have a very loud alarm.  With GPS technology this should an easy device to make and they may already exist. 

    It seems like protective orders are often meaningless and its hard to imprison the offenders.  They may seem OK, but you never know. 

  • Anonymous

    I agree with you. Prioritizing something like this is essential. Waiting around for the person to re-offend is not the answer. They usually do it again. Someone filled with as much violence as this man, was a ticking bomb waiting to go off.  And, the worst happened as a result.

  • Anonymous

    There are a lot of drawbacks (besides some positives)  to those sites, like Facebook. Anyone denying that is not being realistic.

  • Anonymous

    Good comments.

  • Anonymous

    Exactly.

  • Anonymous

    You are right.

    The comments of the poster you replied to are unfounded , malicious and despicable.

  • Anonymous

    The goods? Scary stuff coming from an elected official if you ask me.

  • Anonymous

    I am glad you and your children got away. You did well.  It does not work out that way for some women, and of course, we don’t know all the circumstances. I am sure being that terrified (and as you likely were) must make it very difficult to focus and think clearly and calmly sometimes.

  • Anonymous

    I understand what you are saying, but many times the man still does manage to locate the women and children.  If they are that controlling and enraged , they won’t let up.

  • Anonymous

    ONE  THING ABOUT  PEOPLE  HELL BENT ON DOING SOMETHING AN ALARM  ISN’T  GOING  TO STOP THEM  BUT  A  GOOD  SHOCK  SHOULD DO THE  JOB  AND THEY SHOULD  WEAR IT UNTIL THEY HAVE  PROVEN THAT THEY HAVE MOVED ON IN THEIR LIFE  AND THAT MEANS WITH  HELP ON THEIR  ISSUES

  • Larry T. Doughty

    I’m sure you will survive my posting. Speaking of ‘trial’, let me clarify that. Police gathered information, and right with the district attorney. Lock ‘em up until a trial. Do you just suppose, that this family may still be with us? Or are you one of the defense attorney’s? If so, I understand you’re stance.

  • Larry T. Doughty

    I’m sure you will survive my posting. Speaking of ‘trial’, let me clarify that. Police gathered information, and right with the district attorney. Lock ‘em up until a trial. Do you just suppose, that this family may still be with us? Or are you one of the defense attorney’s? If so, I understand you’re stance.

  • Larry T. Doughty

    I’m sure you will survive my posting. Speaking of ‘trial’, let me clarify that. Police gathered information, and right with the district attorney. Lock ‘em up until a trial. Do you just suppose, that this family may still be with us? Or are you one of the defense attorney’s? If so, I understand you’re stance.

  • Anonymous

    Your situation shows what can happen….and it is not good.

  • Anonymous

    Your situation shows what can happen….and it is not good.

  • Anonymous

    Your situation shows what can happen….and it is not good.

  • Anonymous

    Your situation shows what can happen….and it is not good.

  • Anonymous

    Your situation shows what can happen….and it is not good.

  • Larry T. Doughty

    Certainly there may be abuses of the protection system, but when a man threatens anybody, with a gun involved, it’s high time to lock his butt up. The hell with any defense cries. Society is full of those gags.

  • Larry T. Doughty

    Certainly there may be abuses of the protection system, but when a man threatens anybody, with a gun involved, it’s high time to lock his butt up. The hell with any defense cries. Society is full of those gags.

  • Larry T. Doughty

    Certainly there may be abuses of the protection system, but when a man threatens anybody, with a gun involved, it’s high time to lock his butt up. The hell with any defense cries. Society is full of those gags.

  • Larry T. Doughty

    Certainly there may be abuses of the protection system, but when a man threatens anybody, with a gun involved, it’s high time to lock his butt up. The hell with any defense cries. Society is full of those gags.

  • Larry T. Doughty

    Certainly there may be abuses of the protection system, but when a man threatens anybody, with a gun involved, it’s high time to lock his butt up. The hell with any defense cries. Society is full of those gags.

  • Anonymous

    I still can’t believ the guy (was it Steven’s uncle?) who made feeble excuses on Channel 5 news last night for what Steven did.  The ultimate insult to those two sweet kids and their Mom.

  • Anonymous

    I still can’t believ the guy (was it Steven’s uncle?) who made feeble excuses on Channel 5 news last night for what Steven did.  The ultimate insult to those two sweet kids and their Mom.

  • Anonymous

    I still can’t believ the guy (was it Steven’s uncle?) who made feeble excuses on Channel 5 news last night for what Steven did.  The ultimate insult to those two sweet kids and their Mom.

  • Anonymous

    I still can’t believ the guy (was it Steven’s uncle?) who made feeble excuses on Channel 5 news last night for what Steven did.  The ultimate insult to those two sweet kids and their Mom.

  • Anonymous

    I still can’t believ the guy (was it Steven’s uncle?) who made feeble excuses on Channel 5 news last night for what Steven did.  The ultimate insult to those two sweet kids and their Mom.

  • Anonymous

    I still can’t believ the guy (was it Steven’s uncle?) who made feeble excuses on Channel 5 news last night for what Steven did.  The ultimate insult to those two sweet kids and their Mom.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1463464099 Deb Sirois

    Very very sad and often time happens way too much!  My prayers go out to the families of this lovely family..:*(

  • Anonymous

    No I am not a defense attorney, simply someone who understands that life and liberty were one in the same of the eyes of the founders of this great nation.

  • Centaurmyst

    Ironically, I wasn’t afraid…I was furious with him AND myself for allowing the abuse and indignant/stubborn over the threats and also determined to protect my children.  I am also a very strong person, though, and not everyone has that strength.  I was never a meek victim, though.  I always stood up for myself and my kids right from the get go.

  • Anonymous

    Larry my question is this, a woman makes up something. Says you threaten to kill her. And tells the police you were going to do god awful things to her. But shes just making it up, trying to get you in trouble. How would you feel about being locked up until you can prove you are not guilty? For every case that turns out this way, there are many more that are just that, a lie. Just saying……

  • Anonymous

    Larry already answered that in his first post. His assumption is guilty until proven guilty.

  • Anonymous

    Steven Lake’s attorney, Anthony Shusta,??

  • Anonymous

    Steven Lake’s attorney, Anthony Shusta,??

  • anissa1

    Thank you for posting this…  This report really did not sit well with me.  It was NOT their house, it was the children’s and Amy’s.  And it disgusts me to no end to see the pictures of the four of them posted.  Amy was trying to move on with her life with her children.  She did go to a woman’s home with her children she tried everything.  I do not know if she had a gun or not.  No one knows where Steve got that gun.  The whole thing sickens me.  Especially the comments Steven’s uncle made but then again Amy had to deal with his friends and family saying and laying blame on her for all of this.  He was granted access to his children if Amy allowed it but if your children were telling you they didn’t want to (do you blame them, he held them at gun point for a whole weekend less then a year ago)  and they were scared to would you allow it.  I think not.

  • anissa1

    Thank you for posting this…  This report really did not sit well with me.  It was NOT their house, it was the children’s and Amy’s.  And it disgusts me to no end to see the pictures of the four of them posted.  Amy was trying to move on with her life with her children.  She did go to a woman’s home with her children she tried everything.  I do not know if she had a gun or not.  No one knows where Steve got that gun.  The whole thing sickens me.  Especially the comments Steven’s uncle made but then again Amy had to deal with his friends and family saying and laying blame on her for all of this.  He was granted access to his children if Amy allowed it but if your children were telling you they didn’t want to (do you blame them, he held them at gun point for a whole weekend less then a year ago)  and they were scared to would you allow it.  I think not.

  • anissa1

    Why would she have to move away?  She grew up here!  This is where her friends and family were this is where she felt safe!  They did not live here as a family!  Why do they have to change their names andstart over?  He should of been put away for along time after the first time!

  • anissa1

    She was not starting to see someone else.  He did this abuse over years.  He did not snap because of something SHE did. It very much irrated me to hear the police on the news state they were investigating what prompted this snap….  Nothing prompted this…  He was sick, I don’t care if it shows the children or family looking happy in pictures, it wasn’t the picture perfect family made obvious by his holding them a gun point last year and terrorizing them for a year straight.  Nothing will change what has happened.  Do the people that knew this family question what they could of done?  Yes, but mostly we question why something wasn’t done. Rest in peace Amy – you and your children are safe now.

  • anissa1

    She was not starting to see someone else.  He did this abuse over years.  He did not snap because of something SHE did. It very much irrated me to hear the police on the news state they were investigating what prompted this snap….  Nothing prompted this…  He was sick, I don’t care if it shows the children or family looking happy in pictures, it wasn’t the picture perfect family made obvious by his holding them a gun point last year and terrorizing them for a year straight.  Nothing will change what has happened.  Do the people that knew this family question what they could of done?  Yes, but mostly we question why something wasn’t done. Rest in peace Amy – you and your children are safe now.

  • anissa1

    She was not starting to see someone else.  He did this abuse over years.  He did not snap because of something SHE did. It very much irrated me to hear the police on the news state they were investigating what prompted this snap….  Nothing prompted this…  He was sick, I don’t care if it shows the children or family looking happy in pictures, it wasn’t the picture perfect family made obvious by his holding them a gun point last year and terrorizing them for a year straight.  Nothing will change what has happened.  Do the people that knew this family question what they could of done?  Yes, but mostly we question why something wasn’t done. Rest in peace Amy – you and your children are safe now.

  • Harry H Snyder III

    I agree, but our police are to liberal. We should start a force something like the East German Stasi, then we could try them as they do in Somalia, just a tire around the neck and some gasoline.  Sure glad the courthouse isn’t in Brewer.

  • Harry H Snyder III

    I agree, but our police are to liberal. We should start a force something like the East German Stasi, then we could try them as they do in Somalia, just a tire around the neck and some gasoline.  Sure glad the courthouse isn’t in Brewer.

  • Anonymous

    Sounds like this woman did everything she could to protect herself and her children from that monster. The law failed her and her children.  So very sad.  May they RIP.

  • Anonymous

    Sounds like this woman did everything she could to protect herself and her children from that monster. The law failed her and her children.  So very sad.  May they RIP.

  • Anonymous

    I do agree that is sometimes the case.  However obviously not in this case.

     Apparently this guy got several fair shakes.  I’m not sure how much fairness you should really be entitled to after you’ve already held your family at gunpoint at least once before but I guess the legal system fells differently.The courts obviously, spectacularly and repeatedly failed this entire family.  I don’t know but would imagine that it was within the courts power to mandate a psychiatric evaluation for this guy and the fact that he’s standing in front of you on charges of threatening his family with a gun might be your first clue that it might not be the worst idea.

    The judge or judges should be taken off the bench and these laws should be overhauled immediately!

  • Anonymous

    I do agree that is sometimes the case.  However obviously not in this case.

     Apparently this guy got several fair shakes.  I’m not sure how much fairness you should really be entitled to after you’ve already held your family at gunpoint at least once before but I guess the legal system fells differently.The courts obviously, spectacularly and repeatedly failed this entire family.  I don’t know but would imagine that it was within the courts power to mandate a psychiatric evaluation for this guy and the fact that he’s standing in front of you on charges of threatening his family with a gun might be your first clue that it might not be the worst idea.

    The judge or judges should be taken off the bench and these laws should be overhauled immediately!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=611091543 Nicole Thomas

    How inappropriate to blame God for free will.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=611091543 Nicole Thomas

    How inappropriate to blame God for free will.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=611091543 Nicole Thomas

    How inappropriate to blame God for free will.

  • Anonymous

    That is absolutely true. Those women who cry wolf make it difficult for the women who really need the help and  serious protection. It is not an exageration to say that half of the domestic abuse reports are false and are intended to just mess up a guy’s life because they are mad at them. The other half are indeed terrorized and in desperate need of the full attention of law enforcement and the courts.

  • Anonymous

    AGAIN…. Please put the blame where it truly belongs…. Steven Lake had a choice, mental health issues, divorce, protection order…. Blah, Blah, Blah! There is no excuse and only one person to blame. Steven Lake!  What kind of person kills innocent children and especially your own children????

  • Anonymous

    These case are so tragic they effect everyone….. Yes it would have been the BEST had he just killed himself, but narcissists like him can’t do that… They have to control all….  and about my initial comment… these even effect the detectives that have to investigate, and the Crime Scene personnel who have to observe it as well as the Medical Examiners who have to perform the autopsies…. Worst of all are all the family members!!!!   My heart goes out to all of them….. May the whole family rest in peace!!!  Even the b@$t@rd that killed them all (only said this because my religion tells me to be kinder, or I would have said some evil stuff)  

  • Anonymous

    why do people say and give any justification of why any father could terrorize any shot and kill his children because he couldn’t see them for his own actions of attempted murder and terrorizing a year before, he was a demostic abusier and controler who wanted his way and killed his children , there is no excuse ever, not love it’s control and abuse

  • Larry T. Doughty

    You notice Harry, that there are very few suggestions here, that actually want to put people away,even temporary. But, domestic abuse, where guns are involved is becoming the norm. The police may be liberal, however, when such abuse cases arise, with gun involved, then drastic action should be taken immediately. Although, some here seems more concerned over those individual rights. Baloney.

  • Anonymous

    She did get away. She has not lived with him in a long time. She moved several times to avoid this guy. 

  • Anonymous

    She did get away. She has not lived with him in a long time. She moved several times to avoid this guy. 

  • Anonymous

    The man threatened to KILL HIS FAMILY last year! He lost any right to EVER see them again. He should not be allowed to watch his son graduate from 8th grade or anything else.  You lose all parental rights forever!! I feel no sympathy for his feelings at all. 

    Prisoners are not allowed to visit their victims, which is what his son was. 

  • Anonymous

    The man threatened to KILL HIS FAMILY last year! He lost any right to EVER see them again. He should not be allowed to watch his son graduate from 8th grade or anything else.  You lose all parental rights forever!! I feel no sympathy for his feelings at all. 

    Prisoners are not allowed to visit their victims, which is what his son was. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=648125641 Myra Rosenberg Freeman

     What?! Facebook did not make this guy get a gun and shoot his family. If anything his “friends or family” should have helped him out by getting him help when they saw any obsessive postings.  Personal responsibility is the issue here and he had none!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=648125641 Myra Rosenberg Freeman

     What?! Facebook did not make this guy get a gun and shoot his family. If anything his “friends or family” should have helped him out by getting him help when they saw any obsessive postings.  Personal responsibility is the issue here and he had none!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=648125641 Myra Rosenberg Freeman

     What?! Facebook did not make this guy get a gun and shoot his family. If anything his “friends or family” should have helped him out by getting him help when they saw any obsessive postings.  Personal responsibility is the issue here and he had none!

  • Anonymous

    Larry is using this case. He held them hostage in June, made bail and stalked her again in November. By violating his bail, he proved his lack of respect for the PFA order. THAT should have kept him in jail until trial for the bail violation. In clear cases of this serious nature, to deny bail should be much more common.

  • Anonymous

    I don’t know what part of the world you’re from, but that is not my experience. Where did this statistic come from?

  • Larry T. Doughty

    Concernsme, you nailed it. One of the few that do I guess.

  • Larry T. Doughty

    Whenever the police deal with such domestic abuse cases, the abused may have body remarks, or in the case of a gun being part of the scene, the abuser is on the way to jail. I’m sure that some may claim abuse, but when it comes to a gun in the issue, that should be the determining factor I think. The judge needs just enough information from the police and district attorney to determine the abusers detention. That would be my suggestion, but we know there are too, way to many bleeding hearts in today’s society to even think of holding those serious folks in jail for any length of time. And again, those protection orders are an insult, and a big joke.

  • Larry T. Doughty

    Absolutely right Diogenes. Women of yesteryear, stayed with the family, and suffered plenty.

  • Anonymous

    you must know and can relate to this monster…no heart, no compassion…your newport name says your close by….id guess?  regardless  he is sick and your right behind him

  • Anonymous

    you must know and can relate to this monster…no heart, no compassion…your newport name says your close by….id guess?  regardless  he is sick and your right behind him

  • Diogenes

    So god valued Lake’s free will more than the lives of Lake’s wife and two children?  And you worship this god?  Yikes!

  • Anonymous

    You say that people need to want to have help. I disagree. If you are only willing to work with those that want to change than nothing will change. It is the people like this man that need to be dealt with regardless of what they want. As soon as a person makes a desperate mistake he is suddenly not relevant. He made a desperate mistake when he pulled a gun on his family. He was desperate why? That is part of this whether or not some are willing to look at that. If he was only jealous, or only lost his kids, or only mentally ill than this might not have happen. But he had all of these things and quite possibly more. I am not condoning anything that this monster did. I want to prevent it that is why I say what this man was thinking is the most important part of this. He was the one who did it. If you continue to push people like this to the sidelines they will continue to come back with violent desperate actions. I commend your work because you sound like you do your job well. But what would you do if I came across your desk and you had a different opinion than me? I get put to the side (as has happened numerous times to me) and you instigate a situation where I am pushed to desperation. Because only some people act on that desperation is no reason to continue this torturous treatment of people that genuinely need help. Even if you are one rare person that does not abuse their government position 95% of people in this state do. This is not some idealistic rant this is from real personal experience. The same way you disagree with analyzing what the perpetrator felt others not on this comment blog have destroyed my life just because I disagreed with them and did not allow them to disrespect me in the process. Because I have different way of looking at people I have been treated very similarly to this man. I understand that after someone has taken away everything that you love there is a big hole that is easily filled with hate. I am not saying that this special woman and family did not need to be away from him I am just saying understanding what this man felt is a key to solving this problem. 

  • Anonymous

    You say that people need to want to have help. I disagree. If you are only willing to work with those that want to change than nothing will change. It is the people like this man that need to be dealt with regardless of what they want. As soon as a person makes a desperate mistake he is suddenly not relevant. He made a desperate mistake when he pulled a gun on his family. He was desperate why? That is part of this whether or not some are willing to look at that. If he was only jealous, or only lost his kids, or only mentally ill than this might not have happen. But he had all of these things and quite possibly more. I am not condoning anything that this monster did. I want to prevent it that is why I say what this man was thinking is the most important part of this. He was the one who did it. If you continue to push people like this to the sidelines they will continue to come back with violent desperate actions. I commend your work because you sound like you do your job well. But what would you do if I came across your desk and you had a different opinion than me? I get put to the side (as has happened numerous times to me) and you instigate a situation where I am pushed to desperation. Because only some people act on that desperation is no reason to continue this torturous treatment of people that genuinely need help. Even if you are one rare person that does not abuse their government position 95% of people in this state do. This is not some idealistic rant this is from real personal experience. The same way you disagree with analyzing what the perpetrator felt others not on this comment blog have destroyed my life just because I disagreed with them and did not allow them to disrespect me in the process. Because I have different way of looking at people I have been treated very similarly to this man. I understand that after someone has taken away everything that you love there is a big hole that is easily filled with hate. I am not saying that this special woman and family did not need to be away from him I am just saying understanding what this man felt is a key to solving this problem. 

  • Anonymous

    If you call me a humiliating racial slur and I shoot you, then you are partially responsible. I am not pretending to know what happened in this case. I am not saying that anyone else but him has any blame to share. But there are other real life factors that make a difference even if your idealistic mind cannot see that. My wife is very happy. So your personal attacks are unfounded. I help to reinforce her and her career even to the peril of my own. You don’t know anything about me or my situation but if you choose to insert some idealistic opinion into this and assume I am something I am not then you are perpetuating this cycle and the next domestic violence victims death will partially be on your hands as well. Your way of thinking led to the environment of this very case. Man bashing and assumptions is part of the problem.

  • Anonymous

    If you call me a humiliating racial slur and I shoot you, then you are partially responsible. I am not pretending to know what happened in this case. I am not saying that anyone else but him has any blame to share. But there are other real life factors that make a difference even if your idealistic mind cannot see that. My wife is very happy. So your personal attacks are unfounded. I help to reinforce her and her career even to the peril of my own. You don’t know anything about me or my situation but if you choose to insert some idealistic opinion into this and assume I am something I am not then you are perpetuating this cycle and the next domestic violence victims death will partially be on your hands as well. Your way of thinking led to the environment of this very case. Man bashing and assumptions is part of the problem.

  • Anonymous

    “mental illness” “blah blah blah” Ok that attitude allows this kind of thing to continue.

  • Anonymous

    “mental illness” “blah blah blah” Ok that attitude allows this kind of thing to continue.

  • Anonymous

    Very idealistic of you. That more than likely is the same attitude that led to the failure the police to prevent this from happening. There are sick people in this world. They will do sick things. That is why we have  judicial system. To keep people safe. What about the judge that let him out? No blame there? Wake up. 

  • Anonymous

    Very idealistic of you. That more than likely is the same attitude that led to the failure the police to prevent this from happening. There are sick people in this world. They will do sick things. That is why we have  judicial system. To keep people safe. What about the judge that let him out? No blame there? Wake up. 

  • newportres

    I’m sick?
    Look at your thought process for the day.
    “but was laying in bed last night and cried just cried myself to sleep thinking how one of these kids seen the other one get shot, and or their mother seen them possibly get shot or atleast one of the kids had to have seen their mother get shot and or one another”
    You lay there thinking through all the intimate possibilities for horror and you think that’s normal?
    Seek help before you make the front page yourself someday.

  • Anonymous

    If you think that people that abuse are not capable of love than you are an idealistic and naive person. That is part of why it is such a complicated situation. There is no “excuse” for what he did but there are plenty of reasons that need to be analyzed to keep the next sick person from doing this.

  • Anonymous

    Then you lack in any real life experience. 

  • Anonymous

    What has led to the decline of our global economy is a fake conservative that did anything he wanted without paying for it for  8 years.

  • Tax All Liberals

    George Bush had nothing to do with Maine’s decline. Perhaps you need to compare deficit spending under Bush compared to Obama.

  • Diogenes

    “If you call me a humiliating racial slur and I shoot you, then you are partially responsible”
    “I am not pretending to know what happened in this case.”
    “Your way of thinking led to the environment of this very case.”
      
    Interesting, but contradictory, statements.  You seem to be saying you know more about this case than is being reported, then claim the opposite.    You imply that the accused was somehow goaded to murder by the actions of his victims, by using a hypothetical example of hate speech.  Then you go on to tell me how happy your wife is, followed by more wild accusations  about what “led to the environment” of these murders.
       
    You’re spinning in different directions so quickly I don’t know if I’m talking to a person or pinwheel.

  • Harry H Snyder III

    This country was built on those inconvenient individual rights.  I personally am not willing to give up the ones which apply to me.  In other words they will have to pry my gun from my cold dead hand. 

  • Harry H Snyder III

    This country was built on those inconvenient individual rights.  I personally am not willing to give up the ones which apply to me.  In other words they will have to pry my gun from my cold dead hand. 

  • Anonymous

    I agree with a lot of what you said and I’m sorry that someone did not take the time to listen to you and try to help.  I do think you read a little more into what I said than what I meant.  When I said people need to want help, I mean almost all treatment options or available services are voluntary for adults.  I can beg and plead with you to please let me help, but if you tell me no, I can’t do anything about it.  Whether mandates and policies are fair or not, as workers, we still have to follow them.  I am all for challenging policy and making a case for why something should be different, but I can’t make that case if someone will not let me. Advocacy is one of my favorite parts of my job.  All I can do is try to inform you of what I might be able to do and you have to decide to let me do that.

    Sometimes, please understand that we as workers are just as frustrated when we cannot help someone because of a policy, a mandate, or not being able to fit someone into the little box of who we are allowed to serve in our positions.  I obviously can’t justify or try to explain your situation because you were there, I wasn’t and I don’t know what happened.  I wouldn’t try to explain away or belittle how you feel you were treated.  I really can only try to learn from the experiences of others and not make those same mistakes myself, or try to recognize if I am burnt out and need to find a different position. 

    I am really someone who takes my Social Work Code of Ethics seriously and in answer to your question of what would I do if you came across my desk and I had a different opinion? My opinion really doesn’t count. First of all, one of the first things I learned in social work is to meet people where they are at.  If I think you have one problem and you think you have another, I have to work on what you think first.  If I don’t work on what you think the issue is, we can’t ever get to what I think the issue is because it will be hard for us to work together. And what I might find is that you were right and I was wrong and that’s ok.  I can live with that as long as it solves the problem. 

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