LEWISTON – Police say the two men charged with murdering an 82-year-old Lewiston man are pointing the finger at each other, according to court documents.

David Lakin, 22, and Shaun Tuttle, 21, made their initial court appearance Friday in Lewiston District Court after their arrest for the murder of James McManus.

A police affidavit said the two Lewiston men went to McManus’ apartment Tuesday night after they had been drinking so they could borrow his car to go to a party.

Tuttle told police that Lakin roughed up McManus before they drove off together. Tuttle said he then passed out and when he woke up, Lakin strangled McManus with a rope and ran over him with his car on a dirt road.

Tuttle said they then stuffed his body into the trunk of the car.

But Lakin told police a similar story – only with a different ending.

Lakin said he was the one who passed out, and that Tuttle was the one who strangled McManus and ran him over, court documents show.

The men did not enter pleas on Friday and were ordered held without bail.

McManus’ death was ruled a homicide on Thursday, a day after his body was found in the trunk of his car a few blocks from the second-floor apartment where he lived.

Police were alerted to the body after receiving a tip. Police now say it was Tuttle who called in the tip.

Documents also revealed that there was an earlier connection between at least one of the suspects and McManus.

Police say McManus’ car had been used to transport two stolen safes from a burned-out home in January.

Lakin was charged with burglary and theft after a January break-in during which two floor safes were stolen from his uncle’s burned-out trailer in Avon. Three others from Lewiston were also charged.

Police said McManus’ Buick was used to transport the safes from the trailer. Officials from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department found the 1989 Buick at the side of the road with one safe and other evidence inside. Police impounded the car, then returned it to McManus. The Buick still had police evidence tags on it when McManus’ body was found inside on Wednesday.

Police are asking the public to come forward with information if they saw McManus’ car Tuesday or early Wednesday along Route 4 between Lewiston and Farmington.

Tuttle’s father, Bruce Tuttle, said after Friday’s hearing that he was shocked to hear that his son had been charged with murder.

“It was like somebody hit me with a big rock,” he said.