Kyle Hewitt, a 22-year-old White male, was tragically killed on July 16, 2015, in Benedicta, Maine, as part of a violent rampage that spanned two counties. The ordeal began when Anthony Lord, 37, of Crystal, initiated a crime spree that included setting a barn on fire, stealing firearms, and assaulting a man in Silver Ridge. Lord then returned to the scene of the fire in Benedicta in the early morning hours.
It was at a home in Benedicta that Lord shot and killed Kyle Hewitt while he was
sleeping on a couch. During this part of the attack, Lord also shot and wounded Kim Irish, the 57-year-old mother of Hewitt's girlfriend. After the shooting, Lord kidnapped Hewitt's 22-year-old girlfriend, Brittany Irish. The violence continued as Lord shot and wounded two other individuals in Benedicta and killed another man, 58-year-old Kevin Tozier, in the nearby town of Lee.
The manhunt for Anthony Lord concluded when he was arrested in Houlton. He was subsequently charged with two counts of murder, among other offenses. Lord pleaded guilty to the murders of Kyle Hewitt and Kevin Tozier, as well as to the wounding of three others. The motive for the rampage was linked to Lord's distress over the recent death of his infant son, for which he was awaiting the results of an investigation.
During the sentencing hearing, Kyle Hewitt's mother shared the heart-wrenching experience of being on the phone with her son as he lay dying, hearing his moans of agony. Anthony Lord was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences in prison without the possibility of parole for the murders and the associated crimes committed during his rampage.
