Presque Isle man sought in OOB slaying

OLD ORCHARD BEACH – The Maine State Police have issued a nationwide alert for a Presque Isle man who has been charged with killing a Canadian tourist.

Maine State Police spokesman Stephen McCausland said a description of Benjamin Humphrey, 29, and the car he may be driving have been entered into a nationwide law enforcement database.

A warrant has been issued charging Humphrey with the July 31 murder of Derek Rogers, 47, of Russell, Ontario.

Rogers, a musician who played trombone for the Canadian Central Command Band, was beaten to death while out for an early morning stroll in what police have described as a random attack. A fisherman later found his body on the beach.

McCausland said police believe Humphrey is driving his girlfriend’s car, a gold-colored 1988 Ford Escort with Maine license plate number 7224-JH.

McCausland said police do not know where Humphrey is, but initially had heard that he may have been heading to Houlton. Police also think he could be headed to the Midwest, because he was born in either North Dakota or South Dakota before moving to Maine as a young child, McCausland said.

“He could be anywhere between Houlton and the Dakotas,” he said.

Humphrey was described as an American Indian, 6 feet 1 inch tall, 280 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.

Humphrey has been in and out of courts in Aroostook County and Bangor on a variety of charges over the past six years, according to published reports.

In April of this year, he was fined $1,000 on a conviction of terrorizing and served seven days in the Aroostook County Jail on a charge of disorderly conduct.

Other convictions dating back to 1996 include assault, sexual abuse of a minor, endangering the welfare of a child, disorderly conduct, forgery, operating a motor vehicle after suspension of his driver’s license and probation violations.

NEWS reporter Wayne L. Brown contributed to this story.