Murder suspect crossed paths with deputy days before killing

The man accused of shooting and killing a Somerset County Sheriff’s deputy in April had crossed paths with the same deputy just days earlier during the arrest of his girlfriend, according to a newly released affidavit.

John D. Williams of Madison was a passenger in his car, driven by Kristina Pomerleau, when Cpl. Eugene Cole pulled them over on the afternoon of Saturday, April 21, according to an affidavit by Deputy Isaac Wacome of the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office.

The traffic stop led to Williams’ car being towed because he didn’t have insurance on it, the discovery of cocaine in the vehicle and Pomerleau’s arrest on driving and drug charges.

The affidavit was made public this week after the Somerset County District Attorney’s Office originally had asked a judge to seal the document for 60 days to avoid jeopardizing an ongoing investigation. The move was approved during a four-day manhunt for Williams, who police say shot and killed Cole the morning of April 25.

Williams has pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder and is undergoing mental health examinations.

Officials had said previously that Cole was involved in the arrest of his girlfriend but had not provided details.

They also have not offered a motive for the killing, though a separate affidavit detailing Williams’ arrest for Cole’s murder suggested their encounter was a moment of happenstance.

In other records released this week, Williams told authorities “he was mad at Cpl. Cole for arresting his girlfriend, but pointed out that he didn’t have a ‘vendetta’ against him.”

According to the affidavit, Cole spotted Pomerleau driving on Main Street in Norridgewock and recognized her as someone whose license was suspended. He pulled over the vehicle on Skowhegan Road, and Wacome assisted in questioning them.

Williams told Wacome he didn’t have insurance on the car because he had failed to pay it. Wacome told him the vehicle would have to be towed.

Meanwhile, Cole confirmed with dispatchers that Pomerleau had a suspended license, and she was told she would be arrested.

A towing service came to get the car and Cole told Williams he was free to go. He left with a friend, Chris Williams — the same friend he later called after the shooting and demanded to use his car, and who told police later that he is not related to John D. Williams.

Cole searched John D. Williams’ car before it was towed and found bags containing smaller bags of drugs as well as drug residue and paraphernalia on the driver’s side, the affidavit said.

He also found a black pouch containing about 5 grams of cocaine.

Pomerleau was arrested on charges of operating after suspension, possession of a suspended driver’s license, possession of a schedule W drug and unlawful furnishing of a schedule drug (more than 2 grams of cocaine).

She was indicted last month on the drug charges and is scheduled for trial in August.

Pomerleau was a passenger in Williams’ car when he was arrested in an unrelated incident in March in Massachusetts on firearms charges. He was scheduled to appear in court there the same day he allegedly shot Cole.

Chris Shulenski, a friend of Williams who gave him a ride to Norridgewock the night of the murder, said at the time that Williams was both upset about Pomerleau being in jail and his own imminent court hearing on the Massachusetts charges. He noticed him looking nervous as they passed by Cole’s cruiser just before Shulenski dropped his friend off.

“The whole story that’s going around about he shot (Cole) because of the arrest of his girlfriend, I don’t believe that at all,” Shulenski said at the time. “I think it was over paranoia. When that cop drove by, he was really worried. He didn’t even want me to leave the driveway.”