State rules in death of 2 found in car

AUGUSTA – Doctors have officially ruled that the shooting deaths of a young man and woman in South Portland were a homicide and a suicide, the state Medical Examiner’s Office reported Sunday.

Dr. Michael Ferenc, deputy chief medical examiner, determined that Keegan Thomas of Casco and Jessica McDevitt of Cape Elizabeth, both 24, died of gunshot wounds to the head.

The autopsy results said that McDevitt was a homicide victim, while Thomas’ wounds were self-inflicted, said Cindy Elliott, spokeswoman for the Medical Examiner’s Office.

Thomas and McDevitt were found in her car sometime after 7:30 p.m. Friday in a parking lot at Southern Maine Technical Center near Spring Point Lighthouse.

The woman was found mortally wounded in the driver’s seat. Thomas, who was in the passenger seat, died later at Maine Medical Center. A small-caliber handgun was recovered from the car.

Maine State Police spokesman Stephen McCausland said the pair had been boyfriend and girlfriend for an extended time before their relationship ended earlier this year. The two attended high school together and had lived together, McCausland said.

The pair met Friday afternoon at a Portland restaurant where McDevitt worked.

Authorities believe Thomas had invited McDevitt to lunch before he was to move to Colorado for a new job.

South Portland police received a first report around 7:30 p.m. Friday after Thomas called a suicide prevention group on a cell phone, McCausland said.