MILLINOCKET (NEWS CENTER Maine) – The murder of a Millinocket man stemmed from an armed robbery when two masked men entered the home and shot the two people inside, according to court documents.
43-year-old Tony Locklear; his daughter, 21-year-old Alexis Locklear; and her boyfriend, 38-year-old Christopher Murray were all charged in connection with the murder. All three were arrested out of state.
Alexis Locklear, who faces both robbery and murder charges, is still awaiting extradition to Maine from North Carolina.
The 28-page affidavit for the arrest of Murray, initially sealed by a judge, detailed a gruesome scene at the home on Massachusetts Avenue on the night of Dec. 19, 2017.
Police responded to the home to find 59-year-old Wayne Lapierre handcuffed on the floor of the basement with gunshot wounds to the head. There was also a rope found nearby and an opened safe in the room.
His wife, Diem Lapierre, told first responders that “they got jumped” and said “a couple guys wearing masks came to the house.”
She survived two gunshots to the head.
Both victims were rushed to the nearby Millinocket Regional Hospital. That hospital was placed on lockdown out of an abundance of caution until the following morning.
Wayne Lapierre died three days later at Eastern Maine Medical Center.
Diem Lapierre later told investigators she was visiting Lapierre that night. According to court documents, the couple was separated, and Diem was livening in Bangor with their children and her mother. She reportedly traveled to work at Lapierre’s businesses once a week.
Wayne Lapierre was a licensed medical marijuana grower in town, according to town officials. He also owned several properties and an excavation company in town. NEWS CENTER Maine confirmed the business’s garage space also served as a growing facility.
Court documents described the Lapierres as known for “having money.”
Diem Lapierre claimed Tony Locklear, whom she recognized, was employed as a handyman for the couple’s business and lived in East Millinocket.
She also said she opened the door to the two armed men that night. The young woman stayed at the door while the two men took the couple to the basement and demanded money, according to the court documents.
"They demanded money and tied her hands and feet with a rope,” the affidavit read. “They took two diamond rings from her hand and they took $400-500 dollars from a wallet.”
Diem Lapierre then said the “black male” shot her in the head.
Members of Wayne Lapierre’s family and Diem Lapierre have repeatedly refused NEWS CENTER Maine’s request for comment.
Investigators were able to track the whereabouts of Locklear, his daughter and Murray as they fled Maine by way of Brewer the next day, according to the affidavit.
They reportedly were taken in for the night by a friend of Locklear’s in East Millinocket who was identified as Joseph Cote.
Cote told investigators Locklear had called Wayne Lapierre about buying marijuana. He said he gave Locklear $25 to buy some from Lapierre the night of the murder.
Gas station surveillance video, Facebook posts and a tobacco purchase made by Alexis Locklear allowed police to identify the suspects.
Tony and Alexis Locklear and Murray are all being held without bail. They will face trial in January 2019.