Crime & Public Safety

A 25-year-old Machias man has been charged with two counts of murder in connection with the early morning shooting deaths on Wednesday, January 23, of a 41-year-old Eastport man and 29-year-old woman that occurred at the latter's Marshfield home.

The Washington County Sheriff's Department made several arrests for drug offenses during the month of December, including the arrest and subsequent re-arrest of one individual, Sharley Fitzsimmons, 42, of Lubec.

The Washington County Jail in Machias is old, in bad shape and chronically overcrowded, according to the sheriff and the jail administrator.

"A perfect storm of opportunity," Chris Gardner, chairman of the Washington County commissioners, called the simultaneous needs both the county and the state have for new lockup facilities in Washington County.

Washington County Sheriff Donnie Smith reports that 70 guns are missing from the department's evidence locker. More than two dozen of the missing weapons are handguns.

Three of the four Grand Manan men convicted in connection to the summer brawl that left alleged drug dealer Ronnie Ross beaten and his house burned to the ground have been sentenced to house arrest. Michael Small, 27, and Lloyd Bainbridge, 31, were convicted of arson November 18.