SCARBOROUGH, Maine (AP) - The killing of a well-known Christmas tree farmer was a random attack, and the assailant is still at large, Maine State Police said.
James Pearson, 82, was pronounced dead at Maine Medical Center after the attack in the front yard of his Scarborough home on Sunday. Pearson was also a former teacher and was a beloved figure in the community for years.
The Portland Press Herald reported police were still investigating the attack on Monday. Residents are being asked to “maintain awareness of their surroundings” and to report any unusual activity to police, State Police Spokesman Steve McCausland said.
There is not an ongoing threat to the public, McCausland said. Police agencies in the area are sharing information about other incidents that took place over the weekend to see whether they could be related to the killing, he said.
McCausland did not expand on the nature of those incidents beyond saying police have “a number of leads.”
Pearson’s wife Nancy was home when the attack happened and tried to aid her husband while nearby family members called 911. She and James founded their business 50 years ago.
The killing of Pearson shook the community, where he was a longtime fixture, especially around the holiday season because of his years selling Christmas trees.
“I have great memories of bringing my daughter to pick out a tree and him pulling us along in his tractor,” Jean-Marie Caterina, a Scarborough town councilor, told the Press Herald.
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