A 66-year-old Clinton man was arrested Thursday and charged with murder in the death of a man who has been missing for nearly a year.

James Simonson was taken into custody shortly before 3:30 p.m. by the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit-Central, Lt. Aaron Turcotte of the Maine State Police said in a news release; he was also charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person in connection with a shooting that took place in late June 2025 on Main Street in Clinton.

Turcotte said as a result of the shooting, William “Bill” Parent died from injuries he sustained.

In early October, police discovered human remains in a field off Route 100 in Clinton. Both Clinton and Maine State police were seen near a home on Main Street, also Route 11, near the Benton town line.

The remains were taken to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner for an autopsy. Turcotte said the cause of death was gunshot wounds and the manner of death was homicide.

At the time of the discovery, Darcy Williams, Parent’s niece, said Parent would have turned 68 in August, had lived for about 20 years in a trailer on property abutting the 774 Main St. property where Clinton and state police converged.

She said she and Parent were very close, and she saw him regularly as she took him to doctors’ appointments, grocery shopping and other places, so when he disappeared in June, the family became very concerned, she said.

Simonson was taken to the Kennebec County jail, where he is being held without bail.