HOPE – Maine State Police and the Knox County Sheriff’s Department are investigating a homicide that apparently took place at a house on a dirt road in this midcoast community sometime between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

Steven Pomeroy, 23, of Hope was arrested Wednesday and charged with murder. The victim was tentatively identified as 22-year-old Jessica Nichols of Waldoboro. A positive identification is pending from the medical examiner’s office, said Lt. Gary Wright of the Maine State Police Criminal Investigation Division. An autopsy is scheduled for today.

Pomeroy, who remained at the Knox County Jail, is expected to make his initial court appearance in Knox County Superior Court at 11 a.m. today.

Few details about the homicide were released by authorities. Investigators and evidence response team members worked at two locations in Hope and expected to remain at the home at 30 Pearse Road through the night, Wright said Wednesday evening.

“We made contact this morning with Mr. Pomeroy near Harts Mill Road [near Route 17 in South Hope],” Wright said.

The initial 911 call reporting the discovery of the woman’s body came into the Knox County Sheriff’s Department at around 8 a.m. Wednesday, said Wright.

“This is the location where we believe the homicide took place,” said Wright, standing at the entrance of the long driveway leading to Pomeroy’s residence on Pearse Road, a dirt road extending from Robbins Road off Route 105 from Camden.

Wright said the Knox County Sheriff’s Department had worked with state police all day.

“Whenever we can, we work with local agencies because they’re more familiar with some of the locale,” said Wright, who is CID troop commander for the midcoast, covering Waldo, Knox, Somerset, Sagadahoc, Lincoln and Kennebec counties. “It’s valuable to us to work with those other agencies.”

Steven Pomeroy had brushes with the law, according to Rockland District Court records. Among his convictions were operating a vehicle under the influence of intoxicants, violating condition of release, criminal mischief, and being a minor in possession of alcohol.

Nichols had been struck by a motor vehicle and severely injured as a 16-year-old, according to a previous news account.

Anyone having any information about the case is asked to call the state police at 800-452-4664. Further inquiries should be made of Lt. Gary Wright, commander CID II.

gchappell@bangordailynews.net

236-4598