The man who allegedly killed four people and injured three in a pair of April shootings is expected to enter pleas for 27 charges later this month.
Joseph Eaton, 34, is due in West Bath District Court at 1 p.m. on July 28, according to the Portland Press Herald.
Eaton was indicted on 11 charges related to a shooting spree in Yarmouth on June 9 by a Cumberland County grand jury. He was also indicted for four counts of murder in the deaths of his parents, Cynthia R. Eaton, 63, and David Lee Eaton, 66, and their friends, Robert C. Eger Jr., 72, and Patricia Deraps Eger, 62, who owned the home on Augusta Road in Bowdoin where they were found dead. He also faces one count of cruelty to animals in the alleged killing of the Egers’ dog.
Eaton allegedly confessed to killing his parents and the Egers and then the next day shooting randomly into traffic on Interstate 295. The Portland Press Herald reported that Eaton is considering pleading not guilty by reason of insanity.
The arraignment was delayed on June 28 to allow his two cases to be merged.
Jules Walkup is a Report for America corps member. Additional support for this reporting is provided by BDN readers.
