Community members and police are mystified about what caused a 71-year-old Boothbay Harbor man, well-known and respected in the community, to shoot his wife and one of his sons before killing himself.

Svend Jorgensen shot his wife, Carol Jorgensen, 75, in her bed at their home on Lakeside Drive, and then shot his son Eric Jorgensen, 40, in the kitchen of his home on Montgomery Road about two miles away, police said.

Police found Svend Jorgensen in the basement of his home, his revolver alongside him. All three died of gunshot wounds to the head. The older man left a suicide note, but it gave no reason for what police say is a double murder-suicide. The note did include a listing of his financial affairs and real estate holdings, although they didn’t indicate he was in financial trouble, said Steve McCausland, spokesman for the Department of Public Safety.

“There is no explanation for why he was involved in the killings,” said McCausland, adding that there were no previous incidents of domestic violence that police know of, and there was no sign that substance abuse played a role in the killings.

The motive will remain a mystery unless something else turns up, McCausland said, noting that sometimes happens when family members begin looking through personal effects. Police spoke with the couple’s other son, Peter, who lives with his family in Freeport, but he was unable to shed light on the tragedy.

The last time anyone had contact with the three was Wednesday, McCausland said. Investigators believe the killings happened that day or Thursday. A family friend was unable to contact them Saturday and called the Boothbay Harbor police to check on them.

Advertisement

Police discovered the bodies of Carol and Svend Jorgensen on Saturday. It was when they went to notify Eric Jorgensen of the deaths that they found his body.

Eric Jorgensen was a social studies teacher at Catherine McAuley High School in Portland.

Bishop Robert P. Deeley of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, of which the school is a part, issued a statement Monday.

“On behalf of the Diocese of Portland, I offer my deepest sympathy to friends and other members of the Jorgensen family who are grieving at this time of tragedy. We also pray for the consolation of members of the Catherine McAuley High School community. May God’s love and mercy heal them, and help them all find peace.”

Eric Jorgensen had recently moved to the house on Montgomery Road, which was owned by his grandmother until she died last fall.

The deaths shocked the community in Boothbay Harbor, a picturesque seaside town busy with tourists.

Advertisement

Sarah Foulger is the pastor at the Congregational Church of Boothbay Harbor and a neighbor of Svend and Carol Jorgensen along West Harbor Pond.

“It’s just unimaginable. … We have known them a long time,” she said. Her husband worked with Svend Jorgensen, both as naval architects, at Bath Iron Works for more than 20 years before retiring.

She described the couple as well-known and well-liked and active in the life of the community. Carol Jorgensen was a member of the Boothbay Region Community Band. Her parents also were respected members of the community, having operated a local jewelry store for 50 years.

Foulger wasn’t aware of any history of domestic violence, mental illness or substance abuse. “There may not be any such history. If there is, it’s not known to me,” she said.

The Jorgensens had moved to the Lakeside Drive house within the past couple of years after they swapped properties with Paul Coulombe, an influential resident who retired after selling White Rock Distilleries. Coulombe wanted their property on a hill overlooking his golf course, Boothbay Harbor Country Club, and traded them a house along West Harbor Pond, according to an article in the Boothbay Register.

“They were so happy in their new house,” Foulger said. “It was completely renovated. They were so delighted to be there. They seemed very happy.”

She said the community is stunned and horrified by the double murder-suicide.

“Clearly something happened. Something went wrong,” she said. “We don’t know what that is. Hopefully, others will be able to shed light on this mystery.”

 


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.