Accused killer Joseph Eaton made his first court appearance Thursday, three days after the grisly murders of his parents and family friends in Bowdoin and a shooting that left three more people injured on a Yarmouth highway. New details about the case emerged from the affidavit, including how the bodies of the victims were discovered and an alleged note left by Eaton.
Here are the latest details we know about the case and legal proceedings.
The suspect: Eaton, 34, faces four counts of murder for the slaying of his parents, Cynthia R. Eaton, 63, and David Lee Eaton, 66, both of Ocala, Florida, and the friends whose home they were staying at, Robert C. Eger Jr., 72, and Patricia Deraps Eger, 62.
Eaton has a violent criminal history and had just been released from Maine State Prison that Friday. He was picked up by his mother and taken to the Egers’ home.
In court, Eaton was dressed in an orange jumpsuit and bulletproof vest. He was not asked to make a plea as he has not yet been indicted by a grand jury. Eaton is being held without bail until his next court appearance on June 28.
The affidavit: Court records paint a grisly crime scene. The victims’ bodies were discovered by Patricia Eger’s sister Tuesday morning, who stopped by after her sister did not return a text message about an hour before the I-295 shooting occurred 30 miles away. Upon arrival, Eger’s sister saw blood and broken glass outside the home. Three bodies inside the home were covered in towels, and a fourth body was found in a barn.
An unsigned note left on the kitchen counter said someone had been molested and nothing had been done about it but did not provide details.
What’s next: It remains unclear where Eaton, who cannot legally own firearms because of his Florida convictions, got the weapons, and police are continuing to investigate how he obtained the guns. Guns were also found by police at the Eger’s home.
Eaton will undergo a psychiatric evaluation to see if he can stand trial.
Defendants in Maine murder trials are not entitled to bail, and Eaton will stay in custody pending his June court date.
