Booby trap kills man in his own home on Thanksgiving night

[Fishinfool]

Can't say I approve of his methods (legally speaking), but break ins, theft, and vandalism is very common in some of these northern Maine communities.

In some areas, having a hunting camp or un-attended summer place in the woods is a magnet to thieves. Lots of folks remove anything of value prior to leaving a camp because they know someone is going to rob them when they are not there. Knew one guy who used to leave his cabin unlocked in the hope miscreants would do minimal damage when they broke in. After a couple times they got bored with not finding much, so they burned his cabin down. A sadly common occurrence.

Larry

 

[jimbo728]

I wonder what his last thought was? "Doh?"

Last thought? Maybe this?
"By cracky, the darn thing works!"

Jim

 

[rosewood]

I won't speak ill of the dead, but I will say that I can't help but wonder why he felt the need to booby trap his home.

Honestly, was his neighbourhood going bad? Had he experienced break-ins/home invasions in the past? What was his blood alcohol level at the time of death? I can't help but feel like there's a bit of missing information here. Folks don't just booby trap their own homes, and I'm going to assume that those who would go to such extremes must have some reason for doing so, and that they would be conscious enough of their own traps not to trigger one. There must have been some alcohol involved here.

Could be legit paranoia, or just paranoia. Some folks with Bi-polar disorder or schizophrenia think people are out to get them. You never know what his issue was.

Rosewood

 

[StephenWhoDat]

Could be legit paranoia, or just paranoia. Some folks with Bi-polar disorder or schizophrenia think people are out to get them. You never know what his issue was.

Rosewood

My ex-girlfriend suffers from both Bi-Polar disorder and schizophrenia. She often refused to take meds to help control it and would become delusional. She now works for the Louisiana State Police... Terrifying...

 

[fatcat3]

Can't say I approve of his methods (legally speaking), but break ins, theft, and vandalism is very common in some of these northern Maine communities.

In some areas, having a hunting camp or un-attended summer place in the woods is a magnet to thieves. Lots of folks remove anything of value prior to leaving a camp because they know someone is going to rob them when they are not there. Knew one guy who used to leave his cabin unlocked in the hope miscreants would do minimal damage when they broke in. After a couple times they got bored with not finding much, so they burned his cabin down. A sadly common occurrence.

Larry

I'm not sure where you get your info, yes it dose happen, but i don't believe that it is " a common occurrence". As some one who used to open cottages, camps and summer places, I can tell you this is not "common". Although once a place is hit it seems to be hit over and over again. To me the real surprise was that Van Buren has a police dept. who'd ah thunk it.

 

[Fishinfool]

I'm not sure where you get your info, yes it dose happen, but i don't believe that it is " a common occurrence". As some one who used to open cottages, camps and summer places, I can tell you this is not "common". Although once a place is hit it seems to be hit over and over again. To me the real surprise was that Van Buren has a police dept. who'd ah thunk it.

Experiences vary of course. Owned a cabin in Maine, part-owner of another, spent a lot of years in Maine as a second home, relatives living there, a lot of time in hunting camps. I am sure some towns / areas are better than others, but the bad side of human nature can pop up anywhere.

Larry

 

[gwpercle]

there are all sorts of ailments/afflictions that can cause a break in reality . the poor man was probably suffering from mental illness or maybe parkinson's . parkinson's took my favorite Uncle from me way to soon . he suffered from paranoid delusions quite severely before it finally got him down to bedridden . instead of condemning someone we no nothing about , i think we should pray for peace and comfort for his family . i will . kenny , texas

65 was the age dementia started affecting my Dad . He became paranoid , would hear people outside his house plotting to rob him. He started sleeping with a loaded revolver and carrying it around the house . He accused his longtime friend of stealing from him and wanted to shoot him . He had us around to intervene and get him help .
Maybe this poor soul had no one ...
Unless you've watched a loved one's mind robbed by dementia you have no idea of the irrational thinking and behavior it can cause.
My Dad was not stupid...he suffered from dementia and this guy probably did too .
Think about it ,
Gary

 

[rosewood]

My stepdad started seeing things and people in his house before he passed. He too had dementia. Fortunately he never became dangerous to himself or my mom. He trusted her enough that she could settle him down.

GW, you are correct, no one understands mental illness until they have to live with it. A lot more of it out there than most people will admit. The hardest part is convincing the afflicted person they need help.

Rosewood

 

[03hemi]

My stepdad started seeing things and people in his house before he passed. He too had dementia. Fortunately he never became dangerous to himself or my mom. He trusted her enough that she could settle him down.

GW, you are correct, no one understands mental illness until they have to live with it. A lot more of it out there than most people will admit. The hardest part is convincing the afflicted person they need help.

Rosewood

My buddy and his wife started seeing things in their house too, apparitions, things would fly off the shelves by them selves and they'd hear dis-embodied conversations in their foyer, but their house was haunted until they had it blessed.

 

[gwpercle]

My stepdad started seeing things and people in his house before he passed. He too had dementia. Fortunately he never became dangerous to himself or my mom. He trusted her enough that she could settle him down.

GW, you are correct, no one understands mental illness until they have to live with it. A lot more of it out there than most people will admit. The hardest part is convincing the afflicted person they need help.

Rosewood

My mom had passed on years earlier , Dad lived by himself but that man wasn't the kind gentle honest man who raised me some evil thing got into his head and completely changed him into a different person .
If any of you see paranoid behavior start to creep into a gentle loved ones behavior...take them to a doctor . They can't cure it but medications can help and the big thing is you can start to prepare yourself for what's going to happen . This disorder took me completely by surprise . I didn't know why my beloved Dad was changing into someone I didn't know .
Gary

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Of course if he killed anyone else with his trap it would be murder.

Doors wired to fire guns as a booby trap have been identified forever as criminal. The criminal law cases on them go back many, many, MANY years.

 

[Glockman4]

My ex-girlfriend suffers from both Bi-Polar disorder and schizophrenia. She often refused to take meds to help control it and would become delusional. She now works for the Louisiana State Police... Terrifying...

As a trooper? Do they know about this? If so that is insane.

 

[StephenWhoDat]

As a trooper? Do they know about this? If so that is insane.

She's not a State Trooper. She's a PO and also works in one of the prisons as a guard.