SCARBOROUGH, Maine — The loss of James (Jim) Pearson is being felt far and wide in our state of Maine.
Jim was a well-known man who was respected by his community. He was the owner of Beech Ridge Farm, where many community members would get their Christmas tree every year.
On Sunday, December 15, he was fatally attacked in the front yard of his home on Beech Ridge Road in Scarborough. He was 82.
Police held a press conference on Wednesday and announced that Quinton Hanna, 22, was arrested and charged with his murder. Hanna was also charged with violent crimes in Freeport and West Bath, which all happened in the same weekend as the attack on Pearson.
In that same press conference, Scarborough Police Chief Robert Moulton spoke of his memories of Jim and the police department's relationship with the Pearson family.
Jim's daughter, Sergeant Mary Pearson, is a thirty-two year veteran of the Scarborough Police Department.
Here's the Facebook post by the chief on Tuesday:
Again, Mainers from all over have written in to us, and shared their memories of Jim online. Here's a post from Don Campbell, a man from Scarborough who is deeply impacted by Jim's death.
For years, NEWS CENTER Maine has covered stories during the holiday season about Christmas tree farming in Maine. Jim Pearson's farm made a few appearances.
In 2016, Maine had several months of below average precipitation, with some areas of the state exhibiting extreme drought conditions.
Jim spoke to us that year about how to the dryness was affecting his trees for the holiday season.
"When you talk about irrigating trees just to keep them alive, that's a super task."
As the community continues to grieve, one thing remains clear, Jim Pearson will be missed.
Police Chief Moulton said in his post:
"We would like to thank the many businesses and individuals who have come forward with food and kindness for our folks as they worked through this difficult time. We would also like to thank the many partnerships that have led to the successful arrest for these heinous crimes. Many thanks to the Bath, Brunswick, and Freeport Police Departments, along with the Maine State Police and the Maine Attorney General’s Office for their countless hours of hard work and expertise."
Hanna is due to make an initial court appearance for Pearson's murder at 9:30 A.M. on Thursday, at Cumberland County Superior Court in Portland.
Continue to follow NEWS CENTER Maine's coverage for more information on the case, as police continue their investigations in Scarborough, Freeport, and West Bath.