On a summer evening in Rumford, Maine, the quiet life of Roger Day, a 48-year-old Caucasian male, came to a violent and unexpected end. On August 3, 2009, Day and a younger man, 22-year-old Victor Reed Sheldon, were fatally shot inside Day's residence on Pine Street. Known for his quiet and gentle nature, Day was a handyman who, despite a disability, was always willing to help others. He enjoyed video games, motorcycles, and carpentry.
His sudden death sent shockwaves through his family and the local community.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly revealed a sinister plot born from a domestic dispute. The scheme was orchestrated by Gayla Sheldon, the estranged wife of Victor Sheldon. She was reportedly seeking revenge for a domestic assault charge against her husband that had been dismissed and feared losing custody of their children. To carry out her plan, she enlisted the help of her boyfriend, 20-year-old Richard A. Moulton Jr., who in turn offered his 19-year-old friend, Eric Hamel, $2,000 to commit the murders.
On the night of the killings, Moulton first went to Day's home to visit. Hamel arrived later, armed with a revolver he had stolen from a neighbor. Inside the apartment, Hamel shot both Roger Day and Victor Sheldon. There was an initial plan for Hamel to also shoot Moulton in a non-fatal manner to make it appear as though he was also a victim, but Moulton instead urged Hamel to flee after the shootings. Moulton then called the police, initially positioning himself as a witness to the crime and even assisting police with a composite sketch of the supposed shooter.
The truth, however, did not stay hidden for long. The investigation led to the arrests of both Eric Hamel and Richard Moulton just days after the murders. Hamel eventually led police to where he had buried the murder weapon, along with shell casings and glove fragments. In 2010, both Hamel and Moulton pleaded guilty to two counts of murder. Hamel received a 45-year prison sentence, while Moulton was sentenced to 40 years. The following year, Gayla Sheldon pleaded guilty to criminal conspiracy and solicitation for her role in planning the murders and was sentenced to 25 years in prison with 15 years suspended.
