AUBURN — Witnesses told police that a Lewiston man charged with murder in the death of a Lewiston woman last weekend had been arguing with her, had a gun, and was the last person seen with her.
Eddie Massie Maine State Police photo
Eddie Massie, 40, appeared in Androscoggin County Superior Court on Friday by videoconference from Androscoggin County Jail. He was arrested Thursday on a charge of intentional or knowing murder.
A conviction is punishable by 25 years to life in prison.
A judge appointed an attorney to represent Massie, who will be held without bail pending a possible indictment by a grand jury.
An affidavit by Maine State Police Detective Cpl. Reid Bond establishing probable cause to arrest Massie said Lacresha Howard, 25, was found by police late Sunday night in the hallway of 108 Pierce St. bleeding from the head and had no pulse.
A medical examiner who conducted an autopsy observed a single gunshot wound at the back of her head, according to the affidavit.
Bond wrote that several people who were in the apartment building at the time of Howard’s death told police they heard Massie, also known as “TT,” and Howard, identified by witnesses as his girlfriend, arguing shortly before the sound of a gunshot and the discovery of Howard’s lifeless body.
A witness who called 911 to report Howard’s body in the hallway told police he heard a male and female arguing, the male saying, “Shut up,” and the female saying, “Go ahead, pull it.”
Another witness who was in the same apartment as Massie and Howard told police he heard them arguing, heard Howard say she was going to pack and leave and then heard a “loud pop.”
A couple visiting from New York had been at the apartment where Howard and Massie had been staying, they told police.
The woman said Howard had given the visiting male a “lap dance,” which angered Massie, who punched her, according to the affidavit.
Howard left the apartment saying “I’m sick of this s—!” and Massie followed her. The woman heard a gunshot, then Massie returned and lit a cigarette, Bond wrote.
The man from New York, Timothy Munson, 41, told police Howard and Massie had argued. He said Massie had a “silver/gray and purple firearm” that he displayed in plain sight.
Munson said Massie had the gun when he and Howard left the apartment and were in the hallway, still arguing.
He said he heard a “pop.” As he left the apartment, he saw Howard lying face down in the hallway, not moving.
Munson told police he went outside and climbed into the back seat of an SUV; Massie climbed into the front passenger seat.
Munson told police that Massie “broke down crying” during the ride.
Asked by a detective whether Munson believed Massie had cried because of “what he did and Munson nodded, yes, and that ‘TT’ was saying something to the effect of ‘TT’ loving her,” according to the indictment.
Munson told police he thought the shooting was an accident and said, “I think he might have just went off.”
He told police he believed Massie shot Howard and still had the gun.
Police located Massie in Greene on Thursday after an intensive search.
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