MACHIAS – As accused double murderer Richard Widdecombe Jr. sits in jail awaiting a trial that’s likely several months away, those who know him were stunned to learn he might be responsible for the horrific crimes.

“He was always an angry guy, but it was still a big shock,” said Ryan Jordan, 24, of Westbrook in an interview. Jordan lived in a group home with Widdecombe several years ago. “When I first heard, I didn’t get many details, but my first thought was, ‘I wouldn’t put it past him.’ I mean, you could see it in him.”

A former foster parent of Widdecombe’s, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the young man’s childhood as one marred by tragedy, neglect and far too many residential treatment facilities.

“I can’t help but feel that Richard may have felt overwhelmed by the ‘real world’ and somehow, subconsciously, needed to do something to get back into the only secure situation he’d ever experienced – being locked up,” she said in an interview. “I wish he’d chosen to rob a liquor store [instead].”

Widdecombe, 25, of Machias was indicted Friday by a Washington County grand jury on two counts of murder. He remains held without bail pending a hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.

His attorneys, David Mitchell and Jeffrey Davidson, have declined to comment on the case and neither could be reached Friday.

According to a police affidavit, Widdecombe confessed to shooting and killing Katie Cabana, 29, and Aaron Settipani, 41, at Cabana’s home in Marshfield during the early morning hours of Jan. 23.

The killings, believed to be the first homicides in Washington County since 2001, took place while Cabana’s three young children were in the home. Her 6-year-old daughter,

Slayings

Autumn Rodgers, was hit with a gunshot, although her injuries were not life-threatening.

The children are in the custody of Cabana’s family members.

Court documents outline in painstaking detail the events that led to the deaths of Cabana, Widdecombe’s former girlfriend, and Settipani, whom police have described only as a friend of Cabana’s.

Widdecombe allegedly went to the woman’s home after becoming jealous that she was spending time with another man. He told police that when he entered the home, armed with a rifle and several cartridges, he heard what he thought was Cabana and Settipani having sex upstairs.

After the two came downstairs, Widdecombe argued with Settipani and told him to leave. Widdecombe followed the man outside and shot him in his Jeep, according to the affidavit. Widdecombe then went back inside, saw Cabana on the phone calling 911 and allegedly shot her in the back. He left the house again and fired additional shots at Settipani, only to return to the house and shoot at Cabana one last time, the court documents said.

Police discovered Widdecombe later that morning at his apartment in Machias. After a brief standoff, he was taken into custody and questioned by police for several hours.

The next day, he appeared in court to face two counts of murder.

“I remember seeing him on the news that night and thinking, ‘I know that angry look,'” Jordan said.

Widdecombe’s former foster mother agreed that the young murder suspect always struggled with anger issues but said she never expected this.

erussell@bangordailynews.net

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