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Lubec man’s death being investigated as possible murder

The cause of death still has not been determined for a 34-year-old homeless man from Lubec whose burning body was discovered under the Harlow Street Bridge in Bangor on Tuesday evening, March 7. His death is being investigated as a homicide, according to Deputy Attorney General William Stokes.

The cause of death still has not been determined for a 34-year-old homeless man from Lubec whose burning body was discovered under the Harlow Street Bridge in Bangor on Tuesday evening, March 7. His death is being investigated as a homicide, according to Deputy Attorney General William Stokes.

Jim Ferland, administrator of the State Medical Examiner's Office in Augusta, says his office conducted an autopsy after Trevor Sprague's body was brought to them "burned beyond recognition," but "there are still a lot of tests out" as to why he died.
Lt. Tim Reid of the Bangor Police Department says a passerby spotted a fire at about 5:50 p.m. along the Kenduskeag Stream, and the police had information that Sprague often took shelter under that bridge.

Sprague was identified on March 10 by DNA. "Our lab C the state police lab C is very good and was quick on this," says Ferland of the success of matching Sprague's DNA to some provided by family members.

"We consider Mr. Sprague's death as suspicious," says Reid. "We'd like people to contact us, either because they were in the area of the Harlow Street bridge that day and saw something that could help us in this case, or because they know associates of Mr. Sprague."

Deputy Attorney General Stokes reports that his office is assisting the Bangor Police Department in its investigation. The Attorney General's Office is not releasing any details about the death while the investigation is ongoing, and investigators are considering any potential motive in the case.

Sprague was well-known at the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter where director Dennis Marble worries, "We're not a healthy community." He points out that, in the past two weeks, a co-ed from Boston was raped and murdered in New York, there were three different shootings at Dennys restaurants across the country, a homeless man on a bench in Boston was killed, and now Sprague is found dead.

"We all need to take a look in the mirror. We need to respect ourselves as well as each other," stresses Marble. "We need to connect with other people, including those who are different."

Marble, who has worked at the Bangor shelter for 11 years, adds, "We do get to see an occasional success, and many acts of charity and kindness that no one else knows about. That really matters."