In the quiet town of Acton, Maine, the tranquility of a spring afternoon was shattered on April 25, 2009, ending the life of 55-year-old Robert Morrill, a White male. The fatal incident unfolded in front of his own home on Hopper Road. Robert suffered a gunshot wound to the chest and was rushed to Goodall Hospital in Sanford, where he succumbed to his injury.
The scene, which would soon be cordoned off by yellow crime scene tape, was witnessed by the person closest to him, his wife, Vickie Morrill.
The alleged perpetrator was not a stranger but his own son, 22-year-old Ross Morrill. In a devastating turn of events, the shooting was reported by Vickie, who was not only the victim's wife but also the suspect's mother. Maine State Police responded to the scene around 3 p.m. and quickly took Ross Morrill into custody. He was questioned at the State Police barracks in Alfred before being formally charged with the murder of his father later that same night.
Following his arrest, Ross Morrill was transported to the York County Jail. Investigators remained on the scene at the family's rural home, which connects Acton with Milton Mills, N.H., for the remainder of the weekend, collecting evidence. Among the items recovered was a hunting rifle, believed to be the weapon used in the shooting. While the immediate aftermath saw an arrest and a charge, the underlying reasons for the violent outburst were not immediately clear, leaving authorities to investigate what might have "sparked this violence." At the time of his arrest, law enforcement officials stated they were not aware of any prior criminal history for Ross Morrill. An autopsy was scheduled to be performed at the State Medical Examiner's Office in Augusta to officially determine the cause of Robert Morrill's death.
