GUILFORD, Maine — Area residents and officials greeted the news that murder suspect Robert Burton had turned himself in to law enforcement personnel on Tuesday with a mixture of satisfaction and relief.
Paul Zimmerman, 51, who owns the Red Maple Inn in Guilford’s downtown, said Tuesday afternoon that he was “feeling pretty good” about the news that Burton had surrendered.
“It’s been a long two months,” Zimmerman said, sitting at the inn’s bar alongside about half a dozen customers. Guilford was a “ghost town” in the aftermath of the killing of Stephanie Ginn Gebo in nearby Parkman and Burton’s disappearance, he said.
“It was hard on businesses,” Zimmerman added. “A lot of people just wouldn’t come out at night.”
Burton had been on the run for 68 days. Police say he killed Ginn Gebo, his ex-girlfriend, on June 5 in Parkman before fleeing into the woods, where he evaded capture for more than two months.
Locals speculated that Burton many have had help during his time on the run, citing his no-worse-for-the-wear appearance and relatively clean shave in Tuesday’s jail booking photo. Police have not yet spoken about what they learned interviewing Burton, but they expect to reveal more after he makes an initial court appearance Wednesday in Dover-Foxcroft.
Inside Guilford’s IGA grocery store, Reggie Moore, 39, of Parkman reflected on the recent weeks of unrest in the town.
“It changed a lot for people, people didn’t feel safe,” Moore said.
Moore said he knew and was friendly with Burton, having worked with him in the past.
“I’m glad this ended the way it did,” Moore said. “People in the neighborhood have been scared.”
Moore said people have been afraid to go to their vehicles at night, visit camps or even return alone to their own homes.
Sen. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville, said he has had calls from constituents about Burton, “and people tell me how relieved they are.”
“I’m very pleased he turned himself in,” Davis said.
Residents on Tuesday said they hope things can go back to normal now that the search is over. They also hoped that the families of both the victim and Burton could begin to heal.
“Everyone can breathe a sigh of relief … now important questions can finally be answered,” said Art Jette, an outreach advocate for Womancare/Spruce Run in Dover-Foxcroft. “Just like the murder, the news of his arrest was unexpected. Up until now, the attention has all been focused on him, the crime, the chase, the sightings. … We finally have the opportunity to focus on Stephanie, her children and family.”
Northeast Publishing editor Mark Putnam and Piscataquis Observer reporter Stuart Hedstrom contributed to this report.