Homicide suspect in Machias put money on bar for cremation

The man who allegedly killed three people and wounded another during a shooting spree in the Machias area last February reportedly stated shortly afterward to those at the Machias American Legion hall, where he was a longtime member, that he had just shot a number of people and then placed money on the bar for his cremation. Those statements are included in a police affidavit that had been sealed but was publicly released on November 20.
In his affidavit, Detective Jason Fowler of the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit writes that he was told by a man at the Legion hall that he saw Thomas Bonfanti, 64, of Northfield in the Legion's parking lot shortly after the shootings on February 3 and that Bonfanti told him that he had "just killed a bunch of people." The man told Fowler that those in the Legion hall told him that Bonfanti "put a bunch of money on the bar for his cremation" and told the bartender that he "killed five or six people."
Bonfanti was taken into custody without incident outside the Legion hall by state police within an hour of the shootings. His Ford Expedition was in the parking lot, and a state trooper observed a semi-automatic handgun on the front seat of the vehicle.
The deceased victims -- Shawn Currey, 57, of Machias; Jennifer Bryant Flynn, 49, of Machias; and Samuel Powers, 33, of Jonesboro -- were shot at three separate locations. Regina Hall Long, 49, of Machias was critically injured but has since been released from the Maine Medical Center in Portland, where she was treated. Currey, who lived with Long, was found at 323 Kennebec Road, Machias; Powers was found inside his home at 69 Roque Bluffs Road, Jonesboro; and Bryant-Flynn was found inside her home at 666 Kennebec Road, Machias. Long was found outside her residence, laying on the ground. According to the affidavit, Bonfanti told police that he did not know Long.
Fowler's affidavit also states that Bonfanti told Lt. Travis Willey of the Washington County Sheriff's Department that there were just the four victims and then refused to speak with Willey, invoking his Miranda rights. In addition, Bonfanti had told Detective Fowler that there were four victims, one in Jonesboro and three at two locations in Machias.
The shell casings found near Bryant-Flynn and Powers were for a .22 magnum handgun, and the owner of Smitty's Trading Post in Machias informed Sgt. Jeffrey Ingemi of the Maine State Police that Bonfanti's favorite handgun was a Kel-Tec PMR-30 .22 magnum pistol and that he had sold Bonfanti one on March 22, 2013.
Bonfanti was formally charged at his arraignment in Calais District Court on February 5 with three counts of murder and one count of elevated aggravated assault. He is being held without bail at the Washington County Jail.