A Benton man accused of killing a 62-year-old in Fairfield has been arrested after he intentionally drove his vehicle into a ditch and lit its interior on fire while being pursued by Maine State Police detectives.
On Tuesday, Nov. 28, the Fairfield Police Department responded to a death at 247 A Main Street in Fairfield.
The 62-year-old Edwin Weeks of Fairfield was found deceased in the residence by a friend who stopped by to check on him, according to police.
The Fairfield Police then brought in the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit – Central to respond and assist in the investigation.
In the course of their investigation late Tuesday night, investigation detectives attempted to stop a vehicle being operated in Skowhegan by 22-year-old Raheem Shamar Goodwin of Benton.
Goodwin, who was considered a person of interest in the death of Weeks, was traveling towards Canaan on Route 2 where he intentionally drove his car into a ditch.
Police say Goodwin then proceeded to barricade himself inside the vehicle for a short time before lighting its interior on fire.
Detectives, assisted by the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office, took Goodwin into custody after he exited the vehicle.
He was arrested and taken to the Somerset County Jail early Wednesday, where he was held on a bail violation and charged with Eluding.
Following an autopsy on the 62-year-old by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta, Weeks’ death was ruled a homicide, and the cause of death was determined to be sharp force trauma.
On Friday morning, Major Crimes Unit detectives charged Goodwin with Murder.
Police say Goodwin and Weeks were familiar with each other, though they have not specified a motive for the killing.
According to Goodwin’s Facebook page, he works as a babysitter.
The investigation is ongoing.
He worked as a babysitter. Some people are bad at risk management.
He’s a good boy, a very good boy.
Aren’t the names Raheem and Shamar of Irish Catholic origin?
Yeah seems like there’s a pattern here.
What percent of the population do you think this violent disrespectful Maine man represents?
AROUND BLACKS NEVER RELAX
Too bad the doors to the vehicle he was driving were still operable.
First off, this guy isn’t “from” Benton Maine. Who knows where he originally hails from, but he is NOT a born here Mainer. He may have LIVED in Benton, but that should not classify him as being FROM Benton or any other town in Maine. I’d be asking if he is even a legal, and not an ILLEGAL.