March

On Sunday, May 14, 2023, the Windham Police Department investigated a report of a missing person from their town. The family of 34-year-old Alex Jackson of Windham reported him missing with no contact since Friday, May 12, 2023, which was atypical behavior for him. Investigators with the Maine State Police, Windham Police Department, Lewiston Police Department, Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office, and the New Hampshire State Police worked to develop leads over the following ten months. On Friday, March 29, 2024, an arrest warrant was obtained for 30-year-old Joseph Chute of Leeds on the charge of murder. Chute was arrested Friday evening without incident and transported to the Androscoggin County Jail where he is being held without bail. The body of Jackson has not been recovered at this time. Chute will make his initial appearance in Androscoggin County Superior Court on Monday, April 1, 2024. 

*Please contact the Androscoggin County Jail for a booking photo.

*No other information is available at this time.

On Monday, March 25, 2024, at approximately 6:30 PM, the Maine State Police were requested to respond to the South Strong Road in Farmington to investigate a serious personal injury crash that occurred during a motor vehicle pursuit. As Troopers were responding to the call, the driver of the vehicle, later identified as 32-year-old Joshua Burdin of Strong was pronounced dead at the scene. 

The incident unfolded at approximately 4:59 pm when Deputies from the Franklin County Sheriff's Office were called to a residence in the town of Strong to investigate a sexual assault of a child.  Burdin was immediately identified as the suspect and had fled the residence before officers arrived on scene. 

At approximately 6:11 PM, a Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy located Burdin driving a 2006 Subaru Impreza in Strong and attempted to make a traffic stop.  Burdin failed to stop, leading Deputies on a low-speed pursuit through Strong and into Farmington on the South Strong Road where Officers with the Farmington Police Department were able to successfully deploy spike strips.  After the Subaru’s front tires were spiked, Burdin accelerated at a high rate of speed on the South Strong Road and struck a tree head-on.

The deceased was transported to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta where an autopsy will be performed. The crash remains under investigation.

On Monday, March 25, 2024, at approximately 7:00 AM, the Maine State Police responded to a residence on Drake Road in Bradford for the report of a domestic violence incident involving an armed male and his wife. Troopers arrived on scene and made contact with 60-year-old Timothy Philpot of Bradford. Philpot was carrying a firearm and was outside his residence on a public way refusing to comply with commands to surrender himself. For the safety of the public in that area a shelter in place advisory was issued. Philpot’s wife was able to get out of the house safely and was not injured. After several hours of negotiation with the Maine State Police Crisis Negotiation Team Philpot was taken into custody by the Maine State Police Tactical Team and Troopers from the Northern Field Troop.  

Philpot was transported to Eastern Maine Medical Center and then to the Penobscot County Jail. Philpot has been charged with Domestic Violence Criminal Threatening, Refusing to Submit to Arrest or Detention, Reckless Conduct with a Dangerous Weapon, and Felony Level Criminal Mischief. The Bradford Fire Department and Mayo Regional Ambulance assisted on scene.

On Thursday, March 21, 2024, at approximately 9:00 AM, Troopers responded to a tractor trailer crash on Interstate 95 at 184 southbound in Bangor. Initial investigation indicates the driver, 34-year-old Edward Ross of Lawrenceville, GA was traveling southbound on the Interstate when he lost control of his vehicle causing the tractor trailer to roll over. Ross was not injured. The crash shut down exits 185, 186, and 187. The right southbound lane continues to be closed while crews offload the truck, upright it and remove it from the scene. That is expected to take another 2 hours or so. The tractor trailer was carrying french fries. Diving too fast for road conditions appears to be a contributing factor in the crash. The crash remains under investigation.

On Saturday, March 16, 2024, at approximately 10:53 PM, Troopers from the Southern Field Troop responded to Long Street in Limerick for a domestic assault in progress. A neighbor called to report that 41-year-old Justin Savage of Limerick had assaulted his girlfriend 26-year-old Shawna Morse in front of their home. Troopers arrived and Savage was detained. During the investigation Savage became combative and a struggle ensued. Savage landed on a Trooper, Sgt. Adam Schmidt, breaking his ankle. In an effort to escape custody Savage also bit Trooper Jamie Fenderson causing two lacerations on his hand. During that altercation, Morse attempted to assist Savage. Sgt. Schmidt was transported to the hospital where he was treated and released. Sgt. Schmidt will require surgery. Savage was arrested and transported to the York County Jail. He was charged with Domestic Violence Assault, Assault on a Police Officer, Refusing to Submit to Arrest, and Disorderly Conduct. Morse was arrested and transported to the York County Jail. She is charged with Obstructing Government Administration and Refusal to Submit to Arrest.

*The Southern Field Troop is the same Troop where three Troopers and a Trooper Recruit were seriously injured when they were struck by a vehicle in Hollis back in August of 2023.

On Saturday, November 25, 2023, the Maine State Police and Bridgton Police Department investigated a suspicious death at a residence at 237 Pond Road in Bridgton. On Sunday, November 26, 2023, an autopsy was conducted by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) in Augusta. The deceased was identified as 51-year-old Benita Preo of Bridgton. The OCME ruled the manner of death as homicide. State Police Detectives investigated over the next three months and the case was presented to a Cumberland County Grand Jury. On Friday, March 8, 2024, the Grand Jury returned an indictment charging 48-year-old Eric Knight of Bridgton with depraved indifference murder. Preo and Knight were in a relationship and lived together at the Pond Road residence. On Saturday morning, March 9, 2024, the Maine State Police Tactical Team and Crisis Negotiation Team arrested Knight at his Pond Road residence in Bridgton without incident. Knight was transported to the Cumberland County Jail and is being held on $500,000.00 cash bail. Knight will be arraigned in Cumberland County Superior Court on Monday, March 11, 2024. 

*The cause of death is not being released at this time.

Mason Mickie, 23, of Guilford was arrested and charged with one count of Possession of Sexually Explicit Material in reference to an on-going investigation by the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit. The case has been referred to the Piscataquis County District Attorney’s Office.

At 4:05 PM, troopers responded to a multiple vehicle crash northbound on Interstate 95 in Pittsfield. A tractor trailer truck, operated by Serhii Milchecko, 47, of Nova Scotia was traveling in the travel lane and was rear-ended by a Kia sedan, operated by 17-year-old from Winslow. A Chevrolet Malibu, operated by 35-year-old Desiree Chenette, of Lincoln then struck the rear of the Kia. Both sedans sustained significant damage.

Both the juvenile and Chenette were treated by EMS and released at the scene. State Police remind all motorist to drive distraction-free and maintain a safe following distance between your vehicle and others to ensure a safer road for everyone.

At approximately 1:55 PM, troopers responded to a tractor trailer roll-over on I-495 westbound, (Falmouth spur) at the merge with the exit 11 off-ramp from I0295. The preliminary investigation showed that the driver, Mohammed Mohammed Abdallah, 25, of Nebraska, lost control of the truck as he exited exit 11 on I-295 merging onto the spur. The truck struck a guardrail to the left and rolled over onto its side blocking both travel lanes. The driver was transported by Falmouth Rescue to Maine Medical Center in Portland with non-life-threatening injuries.

All westbound access points to the Falmouth Spur were blocked off to avoid a traffic backup. The truck was hauling approximately 45,000 pounds of paper products.

Troop I Troopers investigating the crash were assisted by Troop G (turnpike), the MSP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit, DOT, DEP, Falmouth Fire & Rescue, and Copp Motors.

As of 4:40, the roadway is still blocked as Copp Motors works to clear it. The driver of the truck has been issued 2 summonses for violations from the Commercial Vehicle Unit.

On March 22^nd, at approximately 8:44 P.M., the South Berwick Police Department received a 911 call reporting a domestic dispute with shots fired at 48 Brattle Street. Jeremiah Godfrey, 43 years old, called 911 and reported that he had an argument with his girlfriend, Sherri Sweet, 37 years old. Godfrey described a struggle over the gun, and Sweet sustained a gunshot wound and was unresponsive. First responders arrived on the scene and rendered aid. Sweet was transported to the Portsmouth Regional Hospital. The South Berwick Police Department requested the assistance of the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit-South. The Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit -South responded and continued to investigate the circumstances, with the assistance of the South Berwick Police Department.

Sherri Sweet was pronounced deceased on March 23, 2025, at 10:15 P.M. The New Hampshire Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy on March 24, 2025, and advised the cause and manner of death. The immediate cause is a gunshot wound to the head, and the manner of death is homicide. 

On March 26, 2025, the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit South applied for and obtained a warrant for murder. Jeremiah Godfrey was arrested at approximately 12:00 P.M. in the town of South Berwick and subsequently transported to the York County Jail. The Maine State Police would like to thank all of the first responders who assisted with the investigation, include, but not limited to, the South Berwick Police Department, the York Ambulance rescue personnel, the South Berwick Fire Department, the Elliot Police Department, the North Berwick Police Department, and the Berwick Police Department.