CARIBOU, Maine — It has been a little more than two months since Roger Ellis, 51, and Allen Curtis, 25, were gunned down in Castle Hill while sitting in Ellis' red 2007 Chevrolet Silverado the night of August 12.
After months of investigating, Maine State Police arrested Bobby Nightingale, 38, on Friday, charging him with the two homicides.
Nightingale, of Presque Isle, was indicted by an Aroostook County Grand Jury on two counts of "intentional or knowing murder" against Ellis and Curtis.
The duo was fatally shot shortly after midnight on August 13 on Route 227 in Castle Hill, according to Maine State Police.
In addition to Ellis' truck, an unregistered ATV was also found at the scene by police. It was described at the time as a 2006 Suzuki LTZ 400, painted black over its original yellow paint with some yellow still visible, and had a very loud exhaust.
One day after the homicides, neighbors on State Road, also Route 227, recalled hearing that loud exhaust the night before to NEWS CENTER Maine.
This is not Nightingale's first run-in with the law.
In 2006, Nightingale was convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon and receiving stolen firearms, according to court documents. These crimes carry a punishment exceeding 1 year in prison.
Nightingale was wanted by Presque Isle Police in May 2018 for a shooting incident where no injuries were reported.
An arrest warrant was issued for Nightingale for aggravated reckless conduct with a firearm.
Nightingale pleaded no contest in May 2019 to that charge for 366 days in jail and was given credit for time served, according to the Aroostook County District Attorney's office.
With knowledge of this prior arrest, family members of the double homicide victims questioned to NEWS CENTER Maine how someone considered "armed and dangerous" in May 2018 would be released to the public.
The DA's office said "he was immediately released because he had completed his sentence for this crime."
At Wednesday's arraignment, Nightingale appeared via video conference from the Aroostook County Jail in Houlton. He let his attorney, who was physically in the Caribou courtroom, do most of the talking.
“Plead not guilty to each and every count," said John Tebbetts, Nightingale's attorney, in open court.
In addition to the murders, Nightingale also faces charges of Burglary, Robbery, and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, stemming from a breaking and entering, theft, and assault on August 5, less than two weeks before the homicides, according to court documents.
He is also being charged with Criminal Threatening with a Dangerous Weapon and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person for threatening another man with a firearm on August 10, just days before the double homicide.
Additionally, Nightingale faces a third charge of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person for the double homicide.
“We feel horrible for the victims of this but Bobby didn’t have anything to do with it," said Tebbetts. “Mr. Nightingale is innocent of these charges. He’s looking forward to his day in court when we can go to trial and actually the state would have to show their evidence. He thinks that after that process is done he’ll be found not guilty."
Nightingale was arrested on the Aug. 5 and 10 crimes a week after the double homicide and was being held without bail.
Superior Court Justice Harold Stewart II ordered Nightingale to continue to be held without bail after his appearance Wednesday until his attorney requests a harnish hearing to discuss his bail status.
He has also been ordered not to have any contact with the surviving victims in his case.
If Nightingale receives the maximum sentence for all of the crimes not including the homicides, he's already looking a more than 100 years in prison.
“He realizes that this process has to play out," said Tebbetts of Nightingale. "He’s obviously not happy about the situation but it’s a difficult situation no matter what. He's in as good of a place as he could be given the circumstances."
