Maine Man Convicted of 3 Murders Says Lawyer Was Ineffective

A Downeast man who was convicted of three murders now says his lawyer didn't do his job.

Downeast Maine Man Serving Life in Prison for 3 Murders

It was a shocking case, with a suspect who traveled to three homes in Machias and Jonesboro, leaving three people dead of gunshot wounds to the head, and a fourth person who survived her injuries.

Thomas Bonfanti is serving three consecutive life sentences for the February 2020 murders of Shawn Currey 57, Jennifer Bryant-Flynn, 49, and Samuel Powers, 33.

He was also sentenced to another 30 years for elevated aggravated assault for shooting and injuring Regina Long, 49, who played dead until Bonfanti left her home and then called police.

Officials say Bonfanti knew all the victims prior to the shootings.

Police caught up to Bonfanti at the American Legion Hall in Machias and took him into custody.

Maine Man Serving Life for 3 Murders Says His Lawyer Was Ineffective

Bonfanti was back in court this week for a post-conviction review hearing, claiming his lawyer was ineffective and didn't want to know the whole story.

However, the BDN reports his lawyer Jeff Toothaker says he was only given 47 days to prepare for the triple murder trial. He said he cleared his other cases and focused solely on Bonfanti's case.

Toothaker claims he only learned some of the details of the case when Bonfanti testified during the murder trial.

Maine Man Convicted of 3 Murders Claims It was Self-Defense

Bonfanti said on the stand that he shot Powers by accident when his pistol went off. He then went to Bryan-Flynn's home and shot her by accident because her dog was snarling. He said Bryant-Flynn threw something at him, hitting his arm, and causing the gun to go off.

After that, Bonfanti says he went to the Long-Currey home and shot them both after his gun fell out of his pocket. He says they jumped at him to grab the gun.

He added that it was a perfect storm of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

We'll update this story as more details become available.