AUGUSTA — A Kennebec County grand jury on Monday indicted a 32-year-old Massachusetts man on a charge murder in the Feb. 8 shooting death of Robert A. “Bobby” Orr, 53, which occurred in Orr’s Readfield home.

Investigators say the slaying by David B. Silva Jr., was followed shortly by arson. It is alleged that Silva attempted to burn down Orr’s house to cover the murder, as well as related robbery and theft.

Silva was previously charged by complaint with murder, arson and robbery at his arrest Feb. 10 in Massachusetts.

An indictment is not a determination of guilt, but it is an indication that sufficient evidence is present to proceed with formal charges and a trial in superior court.

A conviction on the crime of intentional or knowing murder carries a minimum term of 25 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison, said Deputy Attorney General William Stokes, who represented the state at Silva’s most recent court appearances.

Justice Michaela Murphy ordered Silva held without bail following a hearing March 15 in Kennebec County Superior Court. She said she found probable cause to believe Silva had committed murder.

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Silva will be arraigned on the indictment at a later date.

At that March hearing, Silva’s attorney, William Baghdoyan, told the judge that Silva was defending himself from Orr prior to fatally shooting him. At a hearing a week after Orr’s death, Silva was in tears in court and said, “I’m sorry,” as he was led back to jail.

Many of the details about the killing were contained in an police affidavit based on a series of interviews with Lindsay Spence, Silva’s girlfriend. Both Spence and Silva had recently been staying in Orr’s home.

Spence eventually told police she awoke to the sound of two gunshots and saw Orr’s body — slouched in a chair and shot in the head — in the living room. In the affidavit, she said she and Silva then fled Maine in two vehicles — one was Orr’s pickup — and took Orr’s dog.

She told police Silva took guns, money and jewelry from the Orr home; and she said Silva told her he had spread gasoline all over the house before setting it ablaze, according to the court affidavit by Maine State Police Detective Christopher Tremblay.

Silva has previous convictions for theft, hit and run with proprty damage and probation violation in Massachusetts and a 2004 California conviction for false imprisonment with violence, according to a FBI report.

Betty Adams — 621-5631

badams@centralmaine.com

 


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