BANGOR, Maine — F Daly was found guilty of the 2018 murder of 51-year-old Israel Lewis who was shot twice in his apartment on Second Street in Bangor.
The verdict was handed down on Sept. 30 in the Penobscot County Superior Court. Two of Isreal Lewis' brothers were in the courtroom when the verdict was given Monday afternoon and both were visibly emotional to hear the guilty verdict.
During closing arguments, the state detailed Daly’s phone records the night of Lewis’ death on January 7, 2018. Daly called a mutual friend named Monica three times in a row. The last call lasted one minute and Daly asked where Lewis lived, according to the state prosecutor Lisa Bogue.
Bogue also said in her closing arguments that Daly’s girlfriend, Kayla Preston went to the Bangor Police after an argument where Daly threatened her. Bogue said that argument happened on the night of January 26, 2018 and Preston went to police on January 27, 2018.
"[Daly] said he got away with it. Kayla did not let that happen. The evidence you have should not let that happen,” Bogue said to the jury.
The defense argued that there’s no forensic or surveillance evidence connecting Daly to this crime.
“There is nothing putting Mr. Daly between 7:31 and 7:29 on Second Street. No evidence,” defense attorney, Kaylee Folster said to the jury.
Folster also argued that Preston had every opportunity to tell the police Daly was responsible for Lewis’ death but waited for twenty days after the couple had a fight.
When the guilty verdict was announced, both of Lewis' brothers were visibly emotional. Hugging each other with tears in their eyes.
"I feel great," Lewis' brother, Joel said. "I can go back to Texas with a lot of weight lifted off my shoulder. I mean it's the closure I was looking for. It's the best thing that could happen to me right now."
