Hawaii killer captured in Portland

PORTLAND – A man picked up at a motel for criminal trespassing turned out to be a convicted murderer wanted as a fugitive in Hawaii, police said.

The man had no identification, and gave different names and dates of birth. Deputy Sheriff Patrick McKinney faxed the man’s fingerprints to the FBI and learned he was James Duquette, who has escaped from lockups in Hawaii, Portland Police Chief Michael Chitwood said Sunday.

Duquette, 53, will be held at the Cumberland County Jail in Portland until his extradition to Hawaii.

Officers were called Friday to the Travelodge motel on Brighton Avenue, where Duquette, using the name John Sutton, was refusing to leave.

Duquette, described as “extremely intoxicated,” attacked three officers and was taken to the Cumberland County Jail, police said.

“Hours later, he’s in there and he sobers up and he gives one of the alert jail people another name,” Chitwood said.

That’s when McKinney ordered the man’s fingerprints checked.

Duquette was convicted of strangling a 25-year-old woman in 1978, and he was serving a 20-year sentence when he walked away from a supervised work assignment in 1980.

During that escape, he went to yet another hotel, where he robbed and kidnapped three guests. A year later, he was sentenced to life in prison on two robbery counts and concurrent 20-year terms for assault and kidnapping.

In 1992, he escaped from a prison in Maui, Hawaii, and ended up in Gray, where he tried to kill himself in a motel.

Lt. Mark Hibbs of the Honolulu Police Department said he would not comment over the telephone. Chitwood said officials are trying to determine whether Duquette has any links to Maine.