PARIS — Two men accused of killing two residents in Rumford last week admitted to police their involvement in the shootings, according to affidavits released Monday in Oxford County Superior Court. One said it was retribution for a recent assault on a woman, records state.
Amber Waterman/Sun Journal
Richard Moulton, Jr., is lead into Oxford Superior Court for his initial appearance on the August 3 shooting deaths of Victor Sheldon and Roger Day, Jr., Monday. Moulton has confessed to helping Eric Hammel plan the murders over a woman.
Amber Waterman/Sun Journal
Eric Hammel glances at the media as he is lead from Oxford County Superior Court to the jail on Monday after his and Richard Moulton, Jr.'s, first appearance in court for the shooting deaths of Victor Seldon and Roger Day, Jr., on August 3.
Amber Waterman/Sun Journal
Janice and Roger Day, Sr., speak about their son, Roger Day, Jr., who was killed August 3 by Eric Hammel and Richard Moulton, Jr., in Rumford.
Amber Waterman/Sun Journal
Eric Hammel is lead into Oxford County Superior Court Monday for his first appearance on double murder charges for the shooting deaths of Victor Sheldon and Roger Day, Jr., August 3, 2009, in Rumford, Maine. Also charged was Richard Moulton, Jr., who helped plan the killings.
Eric Joseph Hamel, 19, and Richard A. Moulton Jr., 20, both of Mexico, made initial court appearances Monday. Each is charged with the shooting deaths of 22-year-old Victor Reed Sheldon and 48-year-old Roger Leroy Day Jr. on Aug. 3.
According to an affidavit by Detective Lucas Hare of the Maine State Police, Hamel told police in an interview Thursday that he shot and killed Sheldon and Day in the living room of their home at 244 Pine St. Hamel said he left the house on foot and buried the handgun in woods on Oak Street, a dead-end road about two-tenths of a mile from the crime scene. Hare and Detective Scott Gosselin recovered the weapon after Hamel showed them where he had hidden it.
An affidavit by Detective John Hainey of the Maine State Police stated Moulton admitted to police Friday that he had helped plan and commit the killings. Moulton said he and Hamel planned to shoot both men as revenge for an assault by Sheldon on his estranged wife, Gayla Sheldon, who was dating Moulton at the time of the killings.
Sheldon was scheduled to appear in the Rumford District Court on Aug. 4 for arraignment on a charge of domestic assault against Galya Sheldon, Mexico Police Chief Jim Theriault said Monday night. He was arrested by that department on July 6.
Prior to his arrest, Moulton had been cooperating with police and said he had been in the house with Day and Sheldon before they were killed around 10 p.m. He said the two men were playing video games when he went to use the bathroom and heard three shots fired inside the house.
A resident passing by outside also heard the shots and saw a white man with dark clothing and dark, shoulder-length hair leave the building. Moulton also helped police create a sketch of the suspect who left the building.
Police have said all four men knew each other, and that Sheldon and Moulton were close friends.
Neither Hamel nor Moulton have a significant criminal history, and both were honor roll students at Mountain Valley High School in Rumford.
Hamel was arrested at about 4:45 a.m. Friday, and Moulton at about 4:30 p.m. that day.
Justice William Brodrick accepted Assistant Attorney General Andrew Benson's request that Hamel and Moulton be held without bail. John Jenness Jr., who was standing in as defense attorney for Hamel, said George Hess will be appointed to represent Hamel. Ed David, standing in as counsel for Moulton, said Kevin Joyce will represent Moulton.
Neither man entered a plea, and will not be required to do so unless a grand jury indicts them on the murder charges. Since the Oxford County Jail now serves as a 72-hour holding facility, both Hamel and Moulton will be taken to the Androscoggin County Jail in Auburn.
Day's parents, Roger Day Sr. and Janice Day of Rumford, described Day as a quiet, generous person who helped his neighbors. Roger Day Sr. said both Hamel and Moulton had visited Day before.
"They've hurt a lot of people," she said. "They were both loved very much, on both sides of the family."
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