WESTBROOK, Maine — A 24-year-old South Portland man accused of killing two Westbrook parents in front of their children pleaded not guilty, claiming insanity, during an arraignment hearing at a Cumberland County court Thursday.
If his plea is successful in his favor, he will not be held criminally responsible due to his mental health.
In June, a Cumberland County superior court grand jury indicted Marcel Lagrange Jr., 24, of South Portland, on six charges, including two counts of murder and one count of aggravated attempted murder, court documents show.
Lagrange has been indicted on the following charges:
- Two counts of intentional or knowing murder
- Aggravated attempted murder, Class A
- Aggravated assault, Class B
- Criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, Class C
- Reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon, Class C
Police said Lagrange reportedly confronted 37-year-old Brittney Cockrell and 41-year-old Michael Hayter while they were in a car with their two children in Westbrook on June 19.
Lagrange has been charged with killing Cockrell and Hayter, but court documents suggest he also allegedly fired at one of the children in the car that night.
"[Lagrange] did attempt to commit the crime of murder against a minor... with the use of a dangerous weapon," the court filing shows.
The children who witnessed their two parents shot are now in the care of their grandparents who live outside Houston, Texas.
"You never expect your kids are going to go before you," Jeff McKinney said, the father of Brittney Cockrell.
"Michael was not only like one of my kids. He was like my friend," McKinney said to the press when he came to Maine in June. "It was impossible to stay down when Mike was around."
McKinney said he is thankful to the bystanders who tackled Lagrange, and for the people who let Cockrell and Hayter's kids out of the car.
The two kids had to watch their parents die, according to bystanders who witnessed the incident.
"As Mike and Brittney, unarmed, defenseless, and unaware of the danger a week ago, their bodies ripped open allowing their lives to fall out of their bodies and souls to ascend to heaven," McKinney said. "We deserved better than that."
Lagrange was formerly incarcerated at Long Creek Youth Development Center, Maine's only prison designed for youth. He was later enrolled in programs at Maine Inside Out, which is a group dedicated to helping formerly incarcerated youth.
Lagrange reportedly described to a group meeting he wished to gain normalcy in his life.
Lynn Ellis, who is with the Maine Gun Safety Coalition, said Marcel's story speaks similarly to the national trend of youth gun violence.
"This is the perfect storm of someone who is troubled, easily had access to a firearm, and then taking steps to harm themselves and others... we know since 2021 the leading cause of death in children is firearm deaths and Maine is not the only state dealing with it," Ellis said.
Lagrange will now have two trials; one to determine his guilt in the six charges, and another to determine if he is criminally responsible due to his mental health.
NEWS CENTER Maine's has previously reported on how Maine has historically handled insanity pleas. NEWS CENTER Maine found one-fifth of all people who were found not criminally responsible, and staying at a psychiatric facility, were originally charged with murder.
Maine DHHS was repeatedly asked for an interview to learn about the state’s perspective on handling these types of cases, but the department declined each request.