A 22-year-old Maine man accused of killing a Fairfield man last week had assaulted the man just days earlier in the belief he was a sexual offender, according to reports.
That’s according to witness statements in a police affidavit, which shed new light on the case Tuesday as Raheem Shamar Goodwin made his initial appearance in court. Goodwin is charged with murder in connection with the stabbing death of 62-year-old Edwin Weeks at the Fairfield man’s home.
Weeks’ body was found on Nov. 29 three days after the alleged assault.
A motive for the killing wasn’t entirely clear in court documents. But Goodwin’s girlfriend, Samantha Joy, told investigators Goodwin said he killed Weeks “for his family,” according to an affidavit filed by Maine State Police Detective James Moore.
Joy told investigators that Goodwin had assaulted Weeks before the killing because he recently heard Weeks was a convicted sex offender, although Weeks’ name does not appear in a search of Maine’s public online sex offender registry.
She also told police that Goodwin and Weeks “have had sex,” which she believed Weeks had paid for, Moore wrote. Joy also told police Goodwin’s drug use made him paranoid and hear voices.
Goodwin made his initial appearance via Zoom video conference in Somerset County Superior Court on Tuesday, as Judge Brent Davis read him the murder charge, along with another, associated charge related to violation of probation conditions.
Goodwin is being held without bail at Somerset County Jail in East Madison. A court-appointed attorney, Jeremy Pratt, requested Tuesday that Goodwin continue to be held without bail. Goodwin has not yet been indicted or entered a plea.
Police have previously only said they believe that Goodwin and Weeks knew each other. Goodwin allegedly stabbed Weeks multiple times, according to Moore.
A co-worker of Weeks who found his body told investigators that Weeks said on Nov. 26 that Goodwin had assaulted him the day before, leaving him with “black eyes and busted nose,” Moore wrote.
Two other friends of Weeks later reported to investigators that they had heard from Weeks about the same assault, according to Moore.
One friend told police that Weeks told him Goodwin entered Weeks’ home while he was asleep at night on Nov. 25, Moore wrote. The friend told police that Weeks said Goodwin took his wallet during the incident, but that Joy told Weeks it was still in the house.
Weeks did not report the incident to authorities, the witnesses told police.
On Nov. 28, shortly after 11:30 p.m., State Police detectives located Goodwin in Skowhegan, Moore wrote. Goodwin then led the troopers on a chase, reaching speeds of up to 100 mph, before crashing into a ditch on Route 2 in Canaan and setting a fire inside his vehicle, Moore wrote.
During the half-hour standoff with police, Goodwin exited and reentered his vehicle, and threw his driver’s license and a knife with blood on it off the side of the road before police arrested him, according to Moore.
Joy, Goodwin’s girlfriend, also told police that Goodwin had thrown a bag of blood-stained clothing in the dumpster at their trailer park on Pineview Avenue in Skowhegan, according to Moore.
Police later executed a search warrant of the property and found the clothing, along with sneakers, two knives, and latex gloves, all with blood on them, the affidavit said.
Joy told investigators that Goodwin is known to use methamphetamine, according to Moore.
Joy said that while on methamphetamine, Goodwin “is very paranoid and claims to hear voices,” Moore wrote in the affidavit. “(Joy) said that because (Goodwin) uses so heavily … he just seems to be constantly affected by the (methamphetamine).”
Goodwin’s next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 24.
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