Bridgewater Incident Ends With Murder Charge

An Easton man is accused of killing an elderly man in Bridgewater Wednesday evening.

State Police arrested 37-year-old James Peaslee of Easton early this morning and charged him with murder in connection with the death of 79-year-old Paul Hilenski of Bridgewater. The Penobscot County Communications Center received a 911 call just before 6 last night from Hilenski's home at 227 Boundary Line Road.

It was a scary situation for local residents as Aroostook County Sheriff's Deputies urged them to stay in their homes and lock their doors, because law enforcement dealt with an unknown 'situation.' That situation was the discovery of Hilenski's body inside his home by deputies and State Troopers. Peaslee was arrested by State Police as he was driving on the West Rideg Road in Easton at about 1:00 this morning. He's been taken to the Aroostook County Jail.

Investigators will be at Hilenski's home and at Peaslee's residence on the Station Road in Easton. An autopsy is planned at the Augusta office of the State Medical Examiner.