A Portland man accused of stabbing his roommate to death has pushed his bail hearing into next year after refusing to appear in court Wednesday, telling officials he didn’t want the public seeing him on television in jail-issued clothing.
Domingus Nobrega, 49, has been charged with murdering 43-year-old Matthew Merrick on November 30, 2024, inside the pair’s West End apartment. Nobrega declined to enter the courtroom after learning members of the media were present, forcing the hearing to be rescheduled for January.
He will be allowed to appear in civilian clothes at that time.
The case has already included stark testimony. During a March discovery hearing, Nobrega’s attorney acknowledged a witness told a grand jury she saw Nobrega enter Merrick’s bedroom and stab him in the chest. No motive has been offered.
Merrick’s mother, Debra Kelly, attended Wednesday’s proceeding and spoke publicly for the first time about losing her son, recalling the night police informed her of his death and describing the grief of a parent who “never thinks” they will bury their child.
The judge overseeing the case said Nobrega should undergo a psychological evaluation, noting his previous claim that he is not a U.S. citizen.
Nobrega has been held without bail at the Cumberland County Jail since his arrest at the Scarborough Walmart Supercenter on December 3, 2024. A trial is not expected until August 2026.
