In the small coastal town of Lubec, Maine, the life of 58-year-old Eva Cox, a White female, came to a tragic and violent end in early January of 2022. Concerns for her welfare arose on January 10th when the Washington County Sheriff's Office received a report of an altercation at her home on Jim's Head Road. When deputies arrived for a well-being check, they discovered unsettling evidence outside the residence, including red stains in the snow and on the gravel, along with a woman's earring,
suggesting a violent encounter had taken place.
The initial findings prompted a larger investigation involving the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit. As authorities began to search for Cox and her 65-year-old boyfriend, Paul DeForest, who lived with her, a grim discovery was made on January 11th. A search effort that included the Maine Marine Patrol, Maine Warden Service, and a State Police K-9 unit located a deceased female, believed to be Cox, locked in the trunk of a car near her home. The official identification was later confirmed by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
As the investigation unfolded, Paul DeForest quickly became the sole suspect. Information gathered by investigators led them to seek a warrant for his arrest on the charge of murder. By this time, DeForest had fled the state. He was located at a residence in Warrenton, Virginia. Members of the Fauquier County Sheriff's Department made contact with him, and after a short negotiation over the phone, DeForest surrendered without further incident. He was initially held as a fugitive from justice before being extradited back to Maine to face charges.
The motive for the murder was revealed through a witness who came forward to the police. A friend of the couple, who had been staying with them, told authorities he heard a "pop" downstairs on the evening of January 8th. This information was crucial in piecing together the events that led to Cox's death. In September 2023, Paul DeForest pleaded guilty to one count of intentional or knowing murder and one count of criminal solicitation. As part of a plea agreement, he was expected to serve 32 years in prison for the murder of Eva Cox.
