Man pleads not guilty to killing sister
2/2/09 | 11 comments

Man pleads not guilty to killing sister


Dover-Foxcroft resident faces charges of beating sibling to death
By Diana Bowley
BDN Staff
Michael Toby

DOVER-FOXCROFT, Maine — A local man who was indicted on a charge of murdering his older sister in October pleaded not guilty to the charge Monday in Dover-Foxcroft court.

Michael Toby, 53, who was shackled at the ankles and wearing street clothing and a pair of new white sneakers, appeared before Judge Kevin Stitham at the Piscataquis County Superior Court hearing held in 13th District Court.

Toby, who had been living with his sister Rosalie Shedd, 70, at Riverview Apartments, allegedly told police after the Oct. 22 killing that he got into a fight with Shedd, struck her repeatedly on the head with a piece of wood, strangled her with a vacuum cleaner cord and put a plastic bag over her head.

Police said Shedd’s daughter Melanie Eastman found the body when she went to check on her mother Thursday afternoon.

Toby, whose only previous criminal history had been a charge of criminal trespass in 1977, reportedly had lived in the Lewiston area until he lost his job. In July, he moved to Dover-Foxcroft and lived in a camper off Burrough’s Road. When it became too cold, he moved in with his sister, according to police.

Attorney Chris Smith is representing Toby and Assistant Attorney General Andrew Benson is representing the state.

Stitham provided both parties 60 days to file any motions and ordered that Toby continue to be held without bail.

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Comments
11 comments on this item
On 2/2/09 at 1:21 PM, UPLANDER wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

HOW SICK

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On 2/2/09 at 2:56 PM, Mainelyme wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Give the guy a medal

Older sisters should be expendable

Mainelyme

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On 2/2/09 at 6:12 PM, kateindfcity wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Ok, seriously. It is really stupid when criminals do things like admit they "struck her repeatedly on the head with a piece of wood, strangled her with a vacuum cleaner cord and put a plastic bag over her head." And then plead not guilty! That annoys me to the fullest. HELLO YOU ARE GUILTY GUY! YOU ADMITTED TO MURDER!!! Jeez.

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On 2/2/09 at 6:58 PM, LincolnMOM wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Not guilty......hmmmmmmmm???????????????????? Why did he tell police he got into a fight and beat her with a piece of wood, strangled her with a cord and put a plastic bag over her head? Oh let me guess...the devil made him do it.

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On 2/2/09 at 8:50 PM, OutsideObserver wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

The man is a sick SOB for what he did to his own sister who apparently had been helping him, while he was "down". One crime he did that was almost as bad as cold blood murder is leaving the sister, in her own pool of blood, for his very own niece, the daughter of the victim to find her. That poor girl might as well have been there to see him do it, it is she that found her own mother, bludgeoned to death, something she'll NEVER forget.

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On 2/2/09 at 11:03 PM, Mainelyme wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Isn't there such a thing as a mentally battered and abused little brother defense?

Older sisters can really tick a guy off.

I'm so glad I don't have any myself!

Mainelyme

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On 2/3/09 at 10:42 AM, bidoux wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Mainelyme. I think you're as sick as he his

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On 2/3/09 at 12:06 PM, AMHI4ME wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Law & Order Dover-Foxcroft anyone?

a drunk judge

incompetent defense

and the guy is pretty much if not already guilty...

wow, another crappy maine case

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On 2/3/09 at 7:15 PM, Cherry wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

What a horriblly written story! First of all, who cares if the sneakers he wore to court were white or new? Secondly, her daughter found her Thursday afternoon but doesn't tell us how long that was, only that she was killed Oct. 22 (if we want to know, we'd have to look at the calendar).

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On 2/3/09 at 9:28 PM, Mainelyme wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

bidoux

No, my sister is!

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On 4/3/09 at 6:02 PM, babygurl19 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

thats my grandfather.... i miss my gram she gave him money all the time we dont know why he did it he wont tell us...

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