In a tragic turn of events, the quiet town of Fairfield, Maine was rocked by a gruesome homicide, culminating in the arrest of a suspect who attempted to evade police by setting a car on fire. Edwin Weeks, a 62-year-old resident of Fairfield, was found dead in his home earlier this week, and authorities have now charged Raheem Shamar Goodwin, a 22-year-old man from Benton, with murder in connection to the case.

Weeks' lifeless body was discovered on Tuesday at his residence located at 247A Main Street, by a concerned friend. The Fairfield tax records indicate that Weeks was the owner of the mobile home where the tragic incident occurred. The state medical examiner's office in Augusta conducted an autopsy, determining that Weeks died as a result of "sharp force trauma." The investigation is ongoing, and Maine State Police are diligently working to uncover the facts surrounding the case.

Shortly after the discovery of Weeks' body, the authorities identified Raheem Shamar Goodwin as a person of interest. Detectives from the Maine State Police attempted to pull over Goodwin's vehicle in Skowhegan later that same day. However, Goodwin refused to comply and led the police on a high-speed chase along U.S. Route 2 towards Canaan. In a desperate attempt to evade capture, Goodwin deliberately drove the car off the road, crashing into a ditch. He then barricaded himself inside the vehicle, refusing to surrender. Shockingly, Goodwin set the interior of the car ablaze before finally being apprehended by law enforcement.

Goodwin, now facing charges of murder, eluding an officer, and violating conditions of release, was booked into the Somerset County Jail in Madison. He remains in custody without bail, pending further legal proceedings. According to Shannon Moss, spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety, Goodwin and Weeks were known to each other, although no details were provided on their relationship.

The Fairfield Police Department, when approached for additional details, deferred to the Maine State Police, who are currently handling the investigation. Meanwhile, Fairfield officers stated that the call log or incident log from Tuesday had been turned over to state police. The police also declined to disclose information about previous incidents or calls to Weeks' residence.

For Goodwin, this is not his first brush with the law. In June 2020, he was arrested in connection with the burglary of a marijuana dispensary in Rome, Maine. Another attempted burglary occurred in Belgrade, and Goodwin and his accomplice, both 19 at the time, were charged with various offenses including burglary, theft, and criminal mischief. They were incarcerated at Kennebec County Jail with bail set at $8,000 each.

The Fairfield murder marks one of the darkest chapters in Maine's recent history. With at least eight homicides occurring in November alone, the state has witnessed a surge in violent deaths, making it one of the most violent months in Maine's history. Disturbingly, the numbers indicate that 2023 may already be on track to become the deadliest year since 1989, even without including the victims of the Lewiston mass shooting, where 18 individuals tragically lost their lives.

As the investigation into Edwin Weeks' murder continues, the community of Fairfield mourns the loss of a beloved member, and authorities work tirelessly to bring justice to the grieving family.