A Bath man told a police officer that he strangled his mother Tuesday after she attacked him, according to a court document.
Jason Ibarra, 42, is charged with murder in the death of Jeanine Ross, 66. She was found dead at about 11:35 a.m. Tuesday on the floor of a bedroom in her Moorings apartment complex residence on 125 Congress Ave. in Bath, according to an affidavit filed in Sagadahoc County Superior Court. There was a multicolored lanyard around her neck with a set of keys attached to it.
An autopsy found that Ross’ death was a homicide caused by strangulation.
Ibarra is scheduled to make his first court appearance remotely at 8:30 a.m. Friday from Two Bridges Regional Jail, where he is being held without bail.
After speaking with police on Tuesday, Ibarra invoked his Miranda rights Wednesday and refused to speak with detectives when they tried to interview him at the jail, according to the affidavit.
Police were called to the apartment by Ibarra’s brother, Shane Ross, 38, after Ibarra called him and said he’d killed their mother, the affidavit said. Ross told police that Jason said that he “‘killed his mom, he killed their mom and that he had to do it, she attacked him first,’” the affidavit said.
When police arrived at the apartment, Ibarra appeared to be heavily intoxicated and had trouble standing, the affidavit said. He was taken to a local hospital to be evaluated before being taken to the jail in Wiscasset and charged with murder.
If convicted of murder, Ibarra faces between 25 years and life in prison.
