In the late hours of August 13, 2019, the life of 25-year-old Allen Curtis, a male resident of Mapleton, Maine, was tragically cut short. He was discovered shot to death inside a pickup truck in the neighboring town of Castle Hill. Alongside him was the body of 51-year-old Roger Floyd Ellis, who was also a victim of fatal gunshot wounds. The two men were found in Ellis's red Chevrolet Silverado on the State Road after state troopers responded to a report of a suspicious noise just after
midnight.
Initial observations at the scene suggested a possible collision between the pickup and an ATV, but it quickly became apparent to investigators that a double homicide had occurred. An autopsy later confirmed that both Curtis and Ellis died from multiple gunshot wounds. The investigation into their deaths was extensive, involving multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Maine State Police and the Aroostook County Sheriff's Office. Evidence from the scene, including the abandoned ATV, was sent to the state crime lab for analysis as authorities worked to piece together the events of that night.
The investigation led to the arrest of Bobby Nightingale, a 41-year-old man from Houlton. In August 2022, a jury found Nightingale guilty of the murders of Allen Curtis and Roger Ellis. During the trial, it was revealed that the motive for the killings was rooted in jealousy and rage. Nightingale had targeted Ellis for giving his former girlfriend a ride and assisting her in moving out of his home. Curtis was tragically killed simply for being with Ellis at the time.
The evidence presented at trial included witness testimony about hearing a loud ATV, which Nightingale was known to drive, in the vicinity of the shooting, as well as the sounds of gunshots. Furthermore, microscopic marks on shell casings and bullets recovered from the scene matched a gun found in Nightingale's possession a few days after the murders. In December 2022, Bobby Nightingale was sentenced to two life sentences in prison for the execution-style murders of Allen Curtis and Roger Ellis, bringing a legal conclusion to the tragic case.
