WILTON – A team of state police detectives spent Christmas Eve investigating the slaying of a contractor who was well-known in the community.

Raymond “Butch” Weed, 40, was discovered at the entryway to his home office Tuesday night by friends who had come by to drop off Christmas presents, said Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety.

Investigators believe Weed, owner of New Horizons Builders, died between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., McCausland said.

Weed, who was divorced and lived alone, was described by friends and associates as active in the community.

“In my experience, he wanted to help the community in every way he could,” said state Rep. Tom Saviello, a friend of Weed’s and fellow member of the Lions Club in Wilton.

Weed played important roles in the Lions Club annual blueberry pancake breakfast and yard sales. His company’s half-dozen full-time workers were involved in construction and renovations around town.

Jeff Fairbanks, who worked with Weed, said his employer was generous and had just handed out Christmas bonuses last Friday.

“It’s a tragedy that someone has taken him from this life. And I hope they aren’t long in finding who did it,” Fairbanks said.

Investigators declined to say whether they had a suspect or a motive for the killing, McCausland said.

Detectives believe they know how Weed died, but they planned to ask the state medical examiner’s office not to release the cause of death to avoid compromising the investigation, McCausland said.

One of the last places Weed was seen alive was at Mario’s of Wilton, where he was a regular patron.

Weed visited with some friends at the end of the workday before leaving at about 5 p.m., said Tami Greene, who works at Mario’s.

Greene, who said Weed stopped by every day, said hello to him and nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary.

“He was one of my regulars,” she said. “He was a fantastic man – very nice. He spent a lot of time here. He always came in for coffee – every day, a coffee and a doughnut.”