NORRIDGEWOCK, Maine (TCN) — A 59-year-old man stands accused of fatally shooting his girlfriend’s 38-year-old son following a fight.
According to a news release from the Maine State Police, on the morning of March 1, the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a shooting at a home on River Road. Officers responded and found Christopher Nickerson, who had been staying at the residence, deceased inside.
Upon further investigation, officials identified Daniel Markey as the primary suspect. Markey lives at the home and is the boyfriend of Nickerson’s mother.
Per an affidavit reviewed by WGME-TV, the victim’s mother said her boyfriend and son got into a dispute that turned physical. Nickerson then allegedly entered the house to retrieve his belongings and leave. Nickerson’s mother allegedly told authorities she observed Markey sitting in his vehicle before he went to the entrance of the home. She then reportedly saw her son put his hands up and tell her boyfriend, “Hey, hey, hey.” The mother allegedly heard several gunshots before the victim fell to the ground, and she observed gunshot wounds to his chest.
According to court documents reviewed by WGME, Markey told investigators Nickerson charged at him, so he fired twice. The suspect allegedly observed Nickerson fall, and he believed he had “neutralized the threat,” but Nickerson was unarmed.
Markey was arrested on a charge of murder and booked into the Somerset County Jail. Records show he was denied bond.