In the quiet, scenic town of Newry, Maine, 65-year-old Julie Bullard had sought a peaceful life. A former innkeeper from San Francisco, she had moved east about two years prior, purchasing the Black Bear Bed & Breakfast to escape the bustle of city life. This charming, 130-year-old converted farmhouse was meant to be a fresh start for her and her daughter, Selby, who had joined her after the tragic death of her husband in a car accident.
By 2006, however, the financial strain of the hospitality business had led Julie to put the inn up for sale, though she continued to take in long-term boarders to make ends meet.
Over the Labor Day weekend of 2006, the tranquility of the inn was shattered in a horrific turn of events. A 31-year-old cook named Christian Nielsen, who had been renting a room at the B&B for about two months, embarked on a violent spree. The violence began on Friday, September 1st, when Nielsen killed a handyman who was also staying at the inn, 50-year-old James Whitehurst. Nielsen then attempted to conceal the crime by burning Whitehurst's body in a remote wooded area. Two days later, on Sunday, September 3rd, as suspicions grew about Whitehurst's disappearance, Nielsen shot and killed Julie Bullard in her own home to silence a potential witness.
The following day, Labor Day, brought more tragedy. When Julie's 30-year-old daughter, Selby Bullard, and her friend, 43-year-old Cindy Beatson, arrived at the inn because they were concerned they couldn't reach Julie, they too were murdered by Nielsen. The gruesome scene was discovered later that day when Nielsen's own parents came for a holiday visit. Finding a dismembered body and a trail of blood, his father immediately contacted the police. When authorities arrived, they found the bodies of Julie, Selby, and Cindy. Nielsen confessed to the four murders and led police to where he had disposed of Whitehurst's remains.
Christian Nielsen was promptly arrested and charged with four counts of murder. The subsequent investigation revealed he had not only shot his victims but had also dismembered the three women. Although his defense team initially sought an insanity plea, Nielsen was found competent to stand trial. In October 2007, he pleaded guilty to all four murders and was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences in prison, with no possibility of parole. A clear motive for the horrific weekend of violence was never fully established.
