WATERVILLE, Maine — A man police arrested Monday for burglarizing an adult novelty store turned out to be an ex-convict who served time in prison for murdering his mother.
Scott L. Thompson, 38, of 6 High St., Apt. 2, is charged with burglarizing the Treasure Chest II on Sunday morning and stealing items including magazines, a DVD and other items, according to deputy police Chief Charles Rumsey.
“The burglary occurred Sunday morning at 6:10,” Rumsey said Monday. “Our officers responded to the burglary and discovered a rock thrown through the front door of the business.”
Rumsey said Thompson told police he recently was released from prison after serving 20 years for murder.
A Kennebec Journal story dated April 3, 1991, says Thompson was convicted April 2, 1991, by a Superior Court jury in Augusta for murdering his mother, Edith Thompson, 59, in her East Winthrop mobile home on Jan. 30, 1989. He was 19 at the time.
The story said that, according to testimony and a tape recording of Thompson’s statement to police, he stabbed his mother in the side and back with a carving knife. She died from loss of blood and difficulty breathing when her lung was cut.
The story said Thompson told police he had smoked seven marijuana joints and watched a pornographic movie before he started thinking about killing his mother.
Rumsey said police were able to determine who burglarized the Treasure Chest II on Sunday by contacting the owners of the business and accessing their security system, which had a still photo of the burglar.
“This morning, Officer Robert Bouley located a male subject walking on Main Street who matched the description,” Rumsey said Monday.
He said Bouley saw the man around 6:50 a.m.
“Officer (Dennis) Picard responded and met with Bouley,” Rumsey said. “Picard was the investigating officer, and after meeting with Officer Bouley and Mr. Scott Thompson, (Picard) placed Mr. Thompson under arrest for the crimes of burglary and criminal mischief.”
Rumsey said Thompson is staying with a family member at 6 High St., Apt. 2, and is not on any probation.
He said a records check revealed Thompson was sentenced in 1991 to 30 years for murder. Asked when Thompson was released from the Maine State Prison in Warren and why he served only 20 years of a 30-year sentence, a prison spokesman said at 5 p.m. Monday that that information would have to come from the classifications department, which was closed but would reopen at 8 a.m. Tuesday.
After being arrested on the felony charge of burglary Monday, Thompson was released on $250 cash bail, according to his arrest record, which says he is unemployed. A condition of bail is that he not return to the Treasure Chest II.
The burglary of the store was reported to police by a passer-by who saw that the window in the door to the business had been smashed, Rumsey said.
Police estimated the value of the items stolen at $50; they estimated the damage to the business at $600. Rumsey said a large piece of glass was broken in the front door and that the rock thrown through it damaged a refrigerator inside the store.
“They (police officers) did recover the property after arresting Mr. Thompson,” Rumsey said. “They went to his residence and they recovered the property that was stolen, and it has been returned to the store.”
Thompson is to appear in Kennebec County Superior Court in Augusta at 8 a.m. Oct. 13.