Aaron Aldrich walks Monday morning into the courtroom after a recess during his murder trial in Androscoggin County Superior Court in Auburn. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

AUBURN — While the state said its case against Aaron Aldrich, accused of a Poland double murder in 2023, would reveal a tale of cash, cocaine and murder over money, Aldrich’s attorney said the jury would be left with enough doubt to deliver a not-guilty verdict.

Defense attorney Tom Carey said Aldrich “had no choice” but to defend himself when he shot Shoeb Mohamed Adan, 21, and Mohamed Aden, 16, on Feb. 20, 2023.

However, the prosecution said Aldrich’s actions following the shootings — including taking a photo of himself holding money and a bag of bloody evidence, stealing a van, and fleeing the state — paint a picture of his guilt.

Aldrich was indicted last year by an Androscoggin County grand jury on two counts of intentional or knowing murder, each punishable by 25 years to life in prison. He also was charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

Assistant Attorney General Lisa Bogue, middle, talks with Justice Jennifer Archer, left, and other attorneys Monday in a sidebar during the murder trial of Aaron Aldrich in Androscoggin County Superior Court in Auburn. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

During opening statements Monday in Androscoggin County Superior Court, Assistant Attorney General John Risler said the evidence will show that Aldrich went to the Poland address with a rifle he was not permitted to own and “intentionally and knowingly” shot both victims multiple times.

Carey told the jury in his opening statement that “reaction does not equal intention,” and that if Aldrich “didn’t react, he wouldn’t be here.”

The two victims were found Feb. 21, 2023, by police who were dispatched to a mobile home at 205 Tripp Lake Road in Poland for a welfare check.

During the beginning of witness testimony Monday, an Androscoggin County Sheriff’s deputy who responded to the scene was questioned, and the jury was shown video footage from the deputy’s body camera of discovering the bodies of Adan and Aden.

Risler said the victims were selling illegal drugs out of the trailer on Tripp Lake Road, and that an issue with the furnace led the victims to pursue buying a generator from Aldrich. Risler said Aldrich brought the generator to the mobile home two days before the shootings.

“The sale took place, and the fateful connection was made,” he said.

Assistant Attorney General John Risler gives his opening statement Monday morning to the jury during the murder trial of Aaron Aldrich in Androscoggin County Superior Court in Auburn. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

According to the police affidavit, the victims reportedly called Aldrich to complain that the generator wasn’t working. While staying in a hotel room after the shootings, Aldrich reportedly told an ex-girlfriend about the incident, stating he had been threatened over the generator.

Risler said Monday that Aldrich was given a ride to the Tripp Lake Road mobile home by a friend of his ex-girlfriend, Brandi Frost, who reported that he entered the trailer with a red Milwaukee tool bag. Later that night, Aldrich asked Frost to get rid of the bag and threatened her, Risler said.

Later that night, Aldrich took off with another girlfriend, Brittany Manzo.

On Feb. 24, 2023, Aldrich’s phone was tracked to The Mall at Rockingham Park in Salem, New Hampshire.

Police in Brunswick said they suspected Aldrich had stolen items from a Lowe’s store in that city, then stole a Ford van with Maine license plates from the store’s parking lot on Feb. 22, 2023.

Two days later, Aldrich was spotted in the parking lot of a Macy’s store at the New Hampshire mall. That evening, a New Hampshire police tactical team was deployed at the mall. Aldrich fled from the parking lot, down a flight of stairs and was eventually apprehended. During the chase, police said Aldrich tossed a loaded Glock 9 mm pistol and 20-round 9 mm magazine.

Attorney Tom Carey gives his opening statement Monday morning in defense of his client, Aaron Aldrich, during his trial for murder in Androscoggin County Superior Court in Auburn. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

When the red Milwaukee bag was turned over to police, they found a Hi-Point 995, 9 mm rifle with an empty magazine, two shoes and several pairs of pants. Much of the clothing had what appeared to be blood stains.

Risler said the Hi-Point rifle was found to be the weapon used in the shootings, and DNA tests of the clothing detected both Aldrich’s and the victims’ DNA. Phone records also placed Aldrich at the Tripp Lake Road address during the suspected time of the shooting.

Risler said texts on Aldrich’s phone show discussion of “the job he needed to do” on Feb. 20 to make some money. He said Aldrich’s photo of himself holding a fistful of money and the red Milwaukee bag was taken just after midnight on Feb. 21, right after the shootings took place, and that he was “showing off the rewards of this double murder.”

At the very start of his opening statement, Carey said Aldrich shot both the victims. But, he argued, the state’s evidence does not “answer the question of self-defense.”

“He had no choice,” he said. “He shot them because he had to defend himself.”

Carey also told the jury that it’s the state’s burden to prove Aldrich’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

“A reasonable doubt is exactly what you’re going to have in this case,” he said. “Because you’re going to have that, you’re going to find him not guilty.”

Among the first witnesses called Monday was Nicholas Sands of Norway, who owns the mobile home on Tripp Lake Road.

Sands, who has prior convictions for burglary and theft, said he allowed Adan to stay there shortly after meeting him. Sands said he was at the mobile home briefly earlier in the evening of Feb. 20 to smoke marijuana. He said while he was there, he saw a handgun and about $7,000 in cash, but he denied making previous statements to the police that Adan was dealing cocaine and crack cocaine, and that he never saw Adan dealing illegal drugs.

Justice Jennifer Archer gives instructions Monday morning to members of the jury at the start of the murder trial of Aaron Aldrich in Androscoggin County Superior Court in Auburn. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal