Saturday Night Standoff in Lewiston, Maine Leads to Arrest For Murder

According to a press release from the Maine Department of Public Safety, the standoff that happened on Saturday night in Lewiston was the culmination of an earlier incident.

Shannon Moss said in a press release that on Friday night, an adult male was dropped off at the emergency room entrance at St. Mary's Hospital in the city of Lewiston. The male, who was there with an undisclosed issue, was treated upon his arrival, but died Saturday morning. That man was later identified as Anthony Ayotte, 40, of Lewiston.

Following Ayotte's death, the Maine State Police got involved and launched an investigation that included several interviews with detectives as well as the collection of related evidence.

The investigation led Maine State Police to obtain an arrest warrant for murder on Jerry Thibodeau, 36, also of Lewiston. Just after 5 pm on Saturday afternoon, police say that they were able to locate Thibodeau at a residence on Sabattus Street in Lewiston, Maine.

However, upon the arrival of officers, Thibodeau refused to come out of the residence and an hours-long standoff followed. Maine State Police called in their Tactical and Crisis Negotiation teams and, just after 10pm, Thibodeau was taken into custody without incident.

Police say they believe the suspect (Thibodeau) dropped Ayotte off at the hospital on Friday night and left him there, Still, there in no word on what involvement Thibodeau had in the injuries Ayotte was being treated for.

Thibodeau is now being held at the Androscoggin County Jail on murder charges. He will have his initial court appearance tomorrow (Monday).

Ayotte's body was taken to the office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta for a determination of the manner and cause of death, moss said in the press release.

All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.