Rockport woman found beaten to death in Portland hotel room

ROCKPORT – Maxine Witham, the 35-year-old woman found beaten to death in a Portland hotel room Tuesday, was born and raised in this coastal town, but few people could be found Wednesday who said they knew her.

Portland Police Chief Michael Chitwood deemed Witham’s death a murder during a Wednesday afternoon press conference.

On Tuesday, a 48-year-old man was found in an Eastland Park Hotel guest room in Portland with Witham’s body. Police identified him Wednesday as David R. Haraden, a boyfriend of Witham’s for the past 16 months. They were living together at her 249 Main St. home in Rockport. Police say Witham was dead at least a day before she was found.

Police say the couple had a history of domestic troubles.

Haraden was arrested Tuesday night on an unrelated charge. Police would not say if he is a suspect in her death.

On Wednesday, Witham was described by her uncle Bert Witham of Tenants Harbor as a “fun, artsy student,” who “loved to cook” and was a “little Bohemian.” She liked working with clay and painting. At one time, she owned her own business, catering private cocktail parties, he said.

Witham’s uncle refuted a news report that Maxine was estranged from members of her family. There were some problems with the family, he said, but she was with them at Christmas.

As a young girl, Witham attended Rockport Elementary School and later Camden-Rockport High School.

Judy Clossey, the school nurse at the new Camden Hills Regional High School, recalled Witham as a “good kid” in high school. “She was a cute little girl,” she said. “She was just one of my kids.”

In her sophomore year, Witham’s parents divorced and she moved to Cambridge, Mass., with her mother, Jacqueline, who was later killed in an automobile accident in Brunswick, her uncle said.

Her father, Gary Witham, is a longtime dentist, with an office on Pearl Street in Camden.

Her older brother, Edwin Witham, who lives in New York, did not want to talk Wednesday when contacted by telephone.

Witham, who had no children, was previously married to Walter Biffi, 46, of Boston. They divorced in October 2003, according to published reports. They married Nov. 6, 1992, at St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. He could not be reached Wednesday.

According to the state medical examiner’s office, Witham died of “multiple traumatic injuries.” Police described the cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head, throat and abdomen.

Haraden is being held at Cumberland County Jail on a probation violation, according to Detective Lt. Vernon Malloch of the Portland Police Department’s criminal investigation division on Wednesday.

“We can’t say that David is a suspect [in Witham’s death],” Malloch said. “What we’re saying is that he was in the room with her. He was aware she was dead.”

“We do have a suspect,” Malloch said, noting charges could be brought within 48 hours.

In May, Rockport police went to Witham’s residence and an ambulance was called to bring her to Penobscot Bay Medical Center for treatment of a broken jaw, Malloch said. At that time, neighbors reported a domestic situation between the couple, he said.

“She stated to officers she had fallen,” Malloch said, noting no charges were brought in that case.

At the press conference, Chitwood declined to elaborate on Witham’s appearance but said that drugs do not appear to be involved in the death.

Haraden is on probation in Maine and Newburyport, Mass.

The couple went to Massachusetts last week for a Dec. 29 court hearing in Newburyport, where Haraden was convicted in November 2003 for driving while intoxicated and assault on an officer, Malloch said. The hearing was for a probation revocation, but was continued for six months pending alcohol counseling, he said.

In October 2003, Haraden was convicted of OUI in Wiscasset, his probation officer, John Lorenzen, said Wednesday.

Haraden was on probation in Maine for six violations of conditions of release, which all stem from prohibited contact with Witham after a November arrest for assault, Malloch said. The original assault was dismissed, he said.

The couple checked in to the Portland hotel room around Dec. 30, where they apparently had stayed in the past.

Police seized a Jeep from the parking garage attached to the hotel in connection with the case, police said, but did not say who owns the vehicle.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.