SHERWOOD, Oregon — Two women with ties to Dexter, Maine were shot in Oregon in the early morning hours of Thanksgiving Day during what police and a family member say was a domestic violence incident that ended in a murder-suicide.
James “Mark” Paul, 46, of Sherwood, used a handgun to shoot Tonya Davis, 42, and her sister, Tina Flock, 43. Davis was killed, while Flock is recovering from a gunshot to the face. Paul died when he turned the gun on himself, Sherwood police Capt. Ty Hanlon said Monday during a phone interview.
“The investigation has led us to believe it was a murder-suicide,” Hanlon said.
Sherwood Police were called to 17981 Cereghino Lane at around 12:30 a.m. Thanksgiving Day after “Mrs. Flock made it out of the house and to a neighbor’s,” Hanlon said. “She had non life threatening injuries to the face.”
Flock was taken to a nearby hospital and had her first interview with police Monday afternoon, Hanlon said.
“I know she’s going to recover, but I don’t know the extent of her injuries,” the police captain said. “We haven’t had a chance to interview her until today. They are still currently interviewing her.”
When the Washington County Major Crimes Team arrived at the scene, they did not know whether Davis was dead. The unit’s tactical negotiations team spent hours unsuccessfully attempting to contact Paul.
“She [Davis] was eventually located just outside the residence, and he was located inside,” Hanlon said.
Paul and Davis had been living together in the home for about two years, the police captain said. He did not know when Flock arrived at the couple’s home.
“It’s very sad,” Hanlon said of the murder-suicide. “Unfortunately, we just had one two days prior in a neighboring community.”
Davis and Flock are from Dexter, according to their cousin Bree Waltman, who lives in Dexter. Waltman identified the women as graduates of Dexter Regional High School.
Waltman said she was anxiously awaiting word about her cousin’s condition.
“I haven’t heard anything about how she’s doing,” she said in a Facebook message to the Bangor Daily News. “Glad she’s alive to tell the story.”
Another family friend from Old Town set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for Davis’ burial expenses and hospital bills for Flock. It can be found at Gofundme.com/rememberingtonya.