Jury deliberating in Pittston man’s dual-murder trial

PORTLAND – Jury deliberations will resume today in the case of a Pittston man accused of shooting to death his wife and his mother two years ago.

Jurors determining the fate of Jon Dilley began deliberating Tuesday in Cumberland County Superior Court after hearing closing arguments and receiving instructions in the law from the judge.

Dilley, 52, is accused of killing his mother, Sarah Murray, 71, and his estranged wife, Chevelle “Chellie” Calloway, 41, a teacher at Cony High School in Augusta and a granddaughter of Cab Calloway, the late singer and band leader. His two younger children, now 9 and 6, were present when the shootings took place at Murray’s home in Boothbay Harbor.

If found guilty, he faces a minimum of 25 years and a maximum of life in prison on each of the two counts.

Defense attorney Steven Peterson said the shootings were the result of Dilley’s mental breakdown that followed years of interference by his mother in his personal and financial affairs.

Peterson maintained that Dilley experienced “an abnormal condition of the mind,” known as depersonalization, during the 30 seconds or so when the shooting occurred.

Assistant Attorney General Lisa Marchese said Dilley, who had a history of abuse, went to Murray’s home armed with several weapons, shot the two women out of anger and was fully aware of what he had done.

While ruling that Dilley would not be allowed a full-blown insanity defense, Justice Donald Marden allowed his lawyer to present testimony about the defendant’s mental state.

The shootings occurred on Aug. 21, 2004, when Dilley allegedly took a 9 mm handgun from the trunk of his car and shot his way through the home’s glass front door before shooting his wife in the living room and his mother as she tried to run away.

Testimony showed that relations between Dilley and the victims were strained. Witnesses recalled that Murray wrote her son out of her will yet maintained a relationship with Calloway, giving her a car and use of her summer home.

The case was moved from Wiscasset to Portland because of the extensive publicity the case received in Lincoln County.