LEWISTON — Neighbors on Saturday identified a pair of men killed in a knife fight as Alfred Jermaine Kelly and Bobbie Lee Evans, who had reportedly argued at a local club in the early morning hours.

Evans was 32, Kelly, 29. Both were from Lewiston.

The two are believed to have stabbed each other around 1:30 a.m., and each died within minutes of their altercation. One man was transported to Central Maine Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, and the other died at the scene.

According to Lewiston Police Chief Michael Bussiere, the two men fought at 176.5 Blake Street, where neighbors say Evans lived. Bussiere, who happened to be on overnight patrol, was the first to arrive at the scene after having received multiple 911 calls, and said one of the men was in the street, bleeding profusely from his wounds. The other man was in one of the apartments at the Blake Street address, and was also bleeding heavily.

Police declined to identify the men until after their families had been notified, but did expect to name the deceased later this weekend. Police believe the men knew each other. 

Kelly has an extensive criminal history that includes convictions for theft, disorderly conduct, criminal threatening, carrying a concealed weapon, drug trafficking, felony assault involving a firearm and felony robbery involving a firearm. Evans’ criminal history includes a conviction for disorderly conduct in 2009. 

At a press conference held at the Lewiston police station Saturday morning, police declined to identify the weapons used in the altercation, preferring to wait until officers had finished their work at the crime scene later in the day.

Throughout Saturday, Lewiston and State Police were at the scene, gathering evidence and talking to witnesses. The Medical Examiner’s Office is expected to perform autopsies on Tuesday.

Saturday afternoon, friends and family gathered at the apartment building, tearfully consoling each other.

According to Leanne Parker, a next-door neighbor, Evans lived in the second floor apartment at the 176.5 address, but she believes the stabbing happened in the first floor apartment.

“I’ve lived here 12 years,” Parker said, “and never seen anything like this. I think it’s time to move out of this neighborhood.”

Parker said she was home at the time of the stabbing, but didn’t hear anything and wasn’t aware of the crime until she woke up Saturday morning and saw police had cordoned off the street. Parker said Evans was a real “down to earth” kind of guy who was happy to help anyone.

According to Parker’s daughter, Natasha Garcia, who was a friend of Evans, Evans had recently broken up with his girlfriend and had moved from Lisbon Street to the Blake Street address a little over four months ago.

Garcia, who was visibly upset by her friend’s death, said she was told by another friend that the two men had quarreled at a local club Saturday, and the fight carried over to the Blake Street apartment building. She didn’t know what the fight was about, but said there had been “some beef at the club” between the men.

Police said they did not expect any arrests in this case. The only two suspects involved in the stabbing are the men who died.

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