On a Tuesday morning in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, the community was shaken by a sudden act of violence that claimed the life of 53-year-old Udo Schneider, a White male. On November 29, 2011, Schneider, a maintenance worker at the Hilltop Manor nursing home, was shot and killed outside of his workplace. The man responsible was identified as Michael Curtis, a 46-year-old dispatcher for the Piscataquis County Sheriff's Department.
Curtis reportedly approached Schneider, confirmed his identity, and then shot him multiple times in front of several witnesses.
Following the shooting, Curtis fled the scene in his pickup truck. Law enforcement located him at the nearby Piscataquis Valley Fairgrounds. A standoff ensued, which ultimately resulted in Curtis being shot and killed by a state trooper. An autopsy later confirmed that Schneider's death was a homicide caused by multiple gunshot wounds, while Curtis died from a single gunshot wound.
The motive for the shooting remained a point of investigation, though it was revealed that the two men knew each other. Curtis was married to Schneider's ex-wife, and while friends were not aware of any major animosity between them, there had reportedly been arguments concerning the children Schneider had with his ex-wife. Schneider, who was born in Germany, was remembered as a loving father to his five children and a good friend. The incident left the small town grappling with the loss of two of its community members.
