ST. ALBANS — A local man was charged with murder Friday in connection with the shooting death of his uncle, police said.

Jeremy Erving, 24, of St. Albans, walked into the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office on Friday morning and told police there had been a shooting, Lt. Jeff Love of the Maine State Police’s Major Crimes Unit said in a news conference Friday afternoon on McNally Road.

The victim was 53-year-old Randy Erving, who lived at 50 McNally Road, the site of the shooting. Sheriff’s deputies found his body in his bedroom.

Jeremy Erving, who lived elsewhere in town, is being held at the Somerset County Jail in East Madison. Police have not commented on a motive in the shooting and are continuing to investigate, Love said.

“We’re still conducting interviews, and Maine State Police evidence response team members will be working late into the evening hours looking for evidence and clues as to what exactly took place,” he said.

The Somerset County district attorney’s office and Office of the Chief Medical Examiner have been notified, and an autopsy probably will take place over the weekend.

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Love would not comment when asked to describe Jeremy Erving’s demeanor when he went to the sheriff’s office. “I’m not going to get into the specifics, nor was I there when he turned himself in,” Love said.

“We feel confident we have the person who is responsible” for the killing, Love said.

Steve McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety, said earlier that sheriff’s deputies went to the McNally Road home just before 9 a.m. According to county dispatch logs, a medical emergency was reported at 8:57 a.m. on McNally Road in St. Albans.

McNally Road is a dirt road off Todds Corner Road, which is also Route 152. The entrance to the road was blocked Friday by a sheriff’s deputy and state police.

McCausland said Jeremy Erving was arrested about 2 p.m. and is expected to make his first court appearance early next week.

Larry Knight, who lives near the intersection, said Jeremy Erving was the boyfriend of his granddaughter and the couple recently had a baby.

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“I didn’t think he was that unstable,” Knight said. “I don’t have a reason for why he would have done that.”

“It’s an awful tragedy — nothing more than that,” he said. “I’m just glad my family is safe. What made a kid snap like that, I don’t know.”

Knight said Erving family members live nearby. A man who identified himself as Randy Erving’s brother declined to comment Friday.

Deb Vermette, who lives on McNally Road, was shopping at the St. Albans Mini Mart. She said she heard sirens Friday morning but wasn’t sure where they were coming from.

“It’s scary,” she said. “We don’t usually have too much going on on a dirt road in St. Albans. It’s a rural community. We’re supposed to feel safe.”

Staff writer Doug Harlow contributed to this report.

Rachel Ohm — 612-2368

rohm@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @rachel_ohm


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