PARIS — Gayla Sheldon, estranged wife of murder victim Victor Sheldon, was arrested Friday on two charges of murder in connection with the deaths of Victor Sheldon and Roger Day in Rumford last year.

The 24-year-old Rumford woman was taken to the Oxford County Jail by Maine State Police on Friday evening. She was also charged with conspiracy to commit murder, criminal solicitation and hindering apprehension of suspects immediately after the murders.

Sheldon was indicted this week after an Oxford County grand jury heard evidence presented by Eric Hamel, 20, of Mexico, and Richard Moulton, 21, of Rumford, who have both been convicted for their roles in the murders of Victor Sheldon and Day on Aug. 3, 2009, at Day’s home on Pine Street. The indictment was handed up Friday afternoon and sealed pending Gayla Sheldon’s arrest.

According to state records, she has no criminal convictions.

Steve McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety, said Sheldon was arrested at 3:30 p.m. at her home at 77 Maine Ave. in Rumford. Police contacted the Department of Health and Human Services to care for Sheldon’s three children.

Moulton, who was dating Gayla Sheldon at the time of the murders, pleaded guilty to the crimes in November and could serve 40 years in jail. Eric Hamel pleaded guilty in September and could serve 50 years.

According to his confession to police, Hamel admitted going into Day’s apartment and shooting both men. He left the residence, buried the gun and later showed police where it was.

Moulton has admitted that his role in the crimes was to plan the murders, paying Hamel to shoot the men in retribution for some conflict with Gayla Sheldon.

According to police, the revenge killings were payback for Victor Sheldon having allegedly assaulted Gayla Sheldon at Moulton’s apartment in Mexico less than a month before the shootings. On the day Sheldon was killed, that charge had been dismissed.

Hamel told police that he and Moulton had met with Gayla Sheldon multiple times to plan the murders. She was afraid, Hamel said, that Victor Sheldon would get custody of their two sons.

Moulton and Hamel pleaded guilty to the double murders in plea deals, each agreeing to testify against any co-defendants in “any cases related to the deaths” of the victims, according to court records.

Gayla Sheldon is expected to make her initial appearance in Oxford County Superior Court on Monday or Tuesday for a bail hearing.

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