In the summer of 2017, the quiet town of Madison, Maine, was shattered by a shocking act of violence that claimed the life of Michael Spaulding, a 57-year-old White male. On the morning of July 5th, Spaulding was tragically shot and killed at his home by his neighbor, Carroll Tuttle Jr. The incident was not an isolated act but the culmination of a violent rampage fueled by misguided jealousy.
The tragic events of that day began at Tuttle's own residence on Russell Road.
There, he fatally shot his partner, 52-year-old Lori Hayden, and their 25-year-old son, Dustin Tuttle. After committing these horrific acts, Tuttle crossed the street to his neighbor's home and shot Michael Spaulding. Authorities later revealed that Tuttle held a false belief that Hayden was engaged in an affair with Spaulding, a notion that appears to have been the catalyst for the deadly spree. Spaulding's son later clarified that his father was simply trying to help Hayden leave what he described as an abusive relationship with Tuttle.
Following the shootings of his family and neighbor, Tuttle's violence continued. He encountered Harvey Austin, Hayden's brother-in-law, and shot him in the face. Austin, fortunately, survived the attack. The violent chain of events finally came to an end when deputies from the Somerset County Sheriff's Office arrived at the scene. After Tuttle fired upon them, the deputies returned fire, killing him in his driveway.
The community was left reeling from the devastating loss of three of its members. Michael Spaulding was remembered by those who knew him as a kind-hearted and generous man. He was known for his willingness to help others, often plowing his neighbors' driveways in the winter without ever asking for payment. He had a passion for storytelling, NASCAR, hunting, and fishing. He was a loving father to three sons and a doting grandfather. The senseless violence that took his life, along with the lives of Lori Hayden and Dustin Tuttle, left an indelible scar on the small town of Madison.
