Alleged Bay State murderer found dead in Maine

SHERMAN — A Massachusetts man wanted for murder in that state was found dead Tuesday in Sherman.

The body of James Gregory Nelson, 31, of Andover, Mass., was discovered by a 17-year-old hunter from Sherman at about 2:10 p.m. in a 1984 Subaru that had been parked on a woods road off Route 158 near Woodbridge Corner. State police believe the car had been parked at the site since at least Sunday, and that Nelson committed suicide.

Andover Detective Joe Hasting said that Nelson was a suspect in the Nov. 7 slaying of David Bradner, 32, of Lawrence, Mass., a mail carrier in Andover.

Police said that Bradner was shot in the head at an apartment building on his mail route. They believe the incident stemmed from an argument between the men over payment for a remodeling job that Nelson, a handyman, had done at Bradner’s home.

Lynch said that Nelson had been arrested previously Oct. 22 in Lawrence on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon during another confrontation with Bradner. Nelson was free on bail when the Nov. 7 shooting took place.

A warrant had been issued for Nelson’s arrest, and the U.S. Postal Service offered a $25,000 reward Saturday for information on the slaying.

Lt. Malcolm Dow of Maine State Police Troop F in Houlton said Wednesday that Nelson apparently fled to Maine to avoid being prosecuted for the murder.

State police confirmed that Nelson’s death was a suicide. Detective Marvin Hayes said that an autopsy performed Wednesday at the Kennebec Valley Medical Center in Augusta by Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Henry Ryan showed that Nelson died from a single gunshot wound to the head.

A shotgun was found in the car next to the body, according to Trooper Garfield Holmes.

Massachusetts State Trooper Mark Lynch said that ballistics tests would be done on bullets used in the Nov. 7 shooting and the gun found in Nelson’s car to determine if the same weapon was used in both shootings.