The two people from Massachusetts accused of stabbing and robbing a man in the Belfast woods earlier this week are being held on $80,000 bail.
Justin Wilmot, 20, and Isabella Noui, 19, made their first appearance at the Waldo County Superior Court via Zoom on Friday afternoon from the Waldo County Jail.
Wilmot is charged with attempted murder, elevated aggravated assault and armed robbery, all felonies.
Noui is charged with attempted murder and armed robbery, both felonies. She also faces a misdemeanor charge for falsifying physical evidence.
Justice Daniel Billings set bail at $80,000 for each co-defendant with conditions including electronic monitoring and no contact with the alleged victim. The judge determined that both defendants are indigent and will receive a court appointed attorney.
The alleged attack took place Tuesday near an encampment west of Route 1 behind the Belfast Renys. Belfast police were not aware of the encampment prior to this investigation and did not encounter anyone else in the area while searching for witnesses, said Chief Robert Cormier.
Dustin Curtis, 45, was taken to Waldo County General Hospital emergency room Tuesday morning with multiple stab wounds. He told police that late Sunday night or early Monday morning Wilmot grabbed him from behind and stabbed him repeatedly, according to an affidavit provided by Belfast police officer Jennifer Weaver.
Curtis said he met Wilmot and Noui at the nearby Belfast Soup Kitchen after traveling to Maine about two weeks ago.They had been staying with him at his campsite, he said.
Noui told police Curtis had made sexually motivated comments about her, and Wilmot said his girlfriend “challenged his manhood” for allowing the comments without taking action, the affidavit states.
Noui said she and Wilmot wanted to hurt Curtis to “teach him a lesson,” the affidavit states, and Curtis told police Wilmot mentioned disrespectful comments during the attack.
Police arrested the couple on Wednesday. Belfast detectives and Bangor police found the man’s wallet and property, as well as a knife with blood on it allegedly used in the attack during the execution of a search warrant.
Curtis is in treatment at Maine Medical Center in Portland and is in fair condition, said hospital spokesperson Caroline Cornish.
The defendants will appear in court on July 25 for a dispositional conference.
