News

Prosecutors Drop Charge After Witness Found Dead

Prosecutors Drop Charge After Witness Found Dead

Photo: 560 WGAN Newsradio


AUBURN, Maine (AP) Prosecutors say the alleged victim in a sex trafficking case who was scheduled to testify against her fiance has been found dead.

The Sun Journal reports Assistant District Attorney Nathan Walsh says he will dismiss the felony sex trafficking charge filed against 36-year-old Martin Gerding following the woman’s death.

Walsh says he was told by Maine State police Monday that the body of the 38-year-old woman was found in Oxford County.

The Office of the Chief Medical examiner is working to determine the woman’s cause of death.

Walsh says Gerding will still face felony charges of violating bail. He says the charges stem from Gerding’s alleged contact with the victim before the trial.

Walsh says prosecutors will review the evidence in the case before filing additional charges.

Latest Headlines

8 hours ago in Local

Kittery Man is Maine’s Top Finisher in Boston Marathon

Results reported by the Boston Athletic Association show there were 165 entries from Maine in the race.

9 hours ago in Local

Wildfire Awareness Week Declared in Maine

Maine has experienced 71 wildfires that have burned 48 acres so far in April.

11 hours ago in Sports, Trending

Defending champion John Korir breaks Boston Marathon record and Sharon Lokedi also repeats

John Korir outran the strongest field in Boston Marathon history and still had enough energy left to bounce around Boylston Street after learning he had blistered the course record, too.

11 hours ago in Entertainment, Trending

Singer D4vd charged with murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, found dismembered in his car

Singer D4vd has been charged with murder in the death of a 14-year-old girl who was last known to be alive nearly a year ago and whose dismembered and decomposed body was found in September in his apparently abandoned Tesla, prosecutors said Monday.

11 hours ago in Local

Scarborough police search for driver after pursuit

Scarborough police are searching for a suspect they say led officers on a chase before fleeing on foot.