In the early morning hours of April 2, 2024, the life of 24-year-old Daniel Ford-Coates of Bangor, Maine, was tragically cut short. A white male, Ford-Coates was fatally shot at a residence on Highland Avenue in Bangor. Police responded to a report of an altercation at the home around 4:20 a.m. and found Ford-Coates with a gunshot injury. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
An autopsy conducted by the chief medical examiner's office ruled his death a homicide.
The investigation into the shooting led to the arrest of 20-year-old Olivia Babin of Bangor. Babin was taken into custody on April 3 and charged in connection with the fatal shooting. According to the Maine attorney general's office, surveillance video from an open window in the apartment captured audio of the incident. The audio allegedly recorded Babin putting a gun to Ford-Coates's head, saying, "Oh, you don't think I will?" before laughing and pulling the trigger.
Initially pleading not guilty, Olivia Babin was indicted for negligent manslaughter on May 29. In a later court appearance, she changed her plea to guilty. Babin was sentenced to 10 years in prison, with six years of probation to follow. Her sentence also runs concurrently with unrelated charges of OUI and criminal mischief. For the family of Daniel Ford-Coates, the legal proceedings brought a sense of relief but not closure, as they continue to mourn the loss of a young man known for his big heart and infectious smile.
