In the late hours of a March night in 2013, the life of Charles J. Raybine Jr., a 47-year-old Caucasian male from Biddeford, Maine, was violently cut short. On March 26, while sitting in his car in the parking lot of the Parish Place Apartments, Raybine was shot multiple times in the face. The initial investigation by police pointed towards a drug-related motive for the killing.
He was a self-employed contractor and commercial fisherman, known for his love of playing pool, golfing, and fishing for stripers in the ocean.
The investigation into Raybine's death led to the swift arrest of the first suspect, Bub Peter Nguany, the day after the shooting. Nguany was apprehended as he attempted to leave his residence in Old Orchard Beach. During the arrest, police discovered crack cocaine and a. 45-caliber pistol in his possession. He was subsequently charged with murder and drug trafficking. The case then went cold for over two years, leaving Raybine's family waiting for further justice.
A break in the case came in April 2015 with the arrest of a second suspect, 20-year-old John Lopez of Old Orchard Beach. Shortly after Lopez's arrest, authorities announced they were also seeking a third man, Mohamud Mohamed, in connection with the murder. This development brought renewed hope to Raybine's widow, Lori Raybine, who expressed her gratitude to law enforcement for their persistent efforts.
Ultimately, all three men faced justice for their roles in the death of Charles J. Raybine Jr. In November 2016, Bub Peter Nguany pleaded guilty to murder and conspiracy. John Lopez pleaded guilty to felony murder, and Mohamud Mohamed pleaded guilty to conspiracy. Investigators determined that Nguany was the gunman. While the official motive was a drug-related robbery, Raybine's widow has stated her belief that it was a tragic case of mistaken identity. Court documents revealed the incident stemmed from a drug-related robbery where Lopez and Nguany had been victims two days prior, and in an act of retaliation, they sought out the individuals responsible, tragically killing Raybine.
