OAKLAND, Maine — The local man authorities say shot and killed three people before taking his own life two months ago had been treated for mental illness and had several street and prescription drugs in his system, according to Maine State Police investigators.
A victim or victims inside the home at 41 Belgrade Road called for help six times over 18 minutes, according to 911 transcripts acquired Tuesday by the Bangor Daily News through a Freedom of Access request. The transcripts also indicate a caller said police initially went to the wrong house.
The shooter, Herman DeRico, 42, was found dead in the driveway after the Nov. 4 triple homicide that took the lives of his girlfriend, Amy Derosby, 28, as well as Derosby’s sister Amanda Bragg, 30, and Bragg’s boyfriend, Michael Muzerolle, 28.
“Maine State Police say Herman DeRico was a troubled man with mental health issues, who had been using a variety of prescribed and illegal drugs,” Maine State Police spokesman Stephen McCausland said Tuesday in a statement. “Detectives, however, cannot determine a motive why DeRico killed three people in Oakland in November before killing himself.”
Toxicology tests by the state medical examiner’s office show that DeRico had amphetamines, methamphetamine, marijuana, alcohol and cocaine in his system, McCausland said.
“Detectives found that DeRico had been treated at four hospitals in 2015 for mental health issues and had been prescribed drugs for anxiety, depression, paranoia and sleep issues,” he said. “Among those prescribed drugs were citalopram, lorazepam, risperidone and trazodone. No note was located from DeRico to explain his actions and probably the only ones who could were killed by him that night.”
Derosby and DeRico, who was known as Khalil, lived together in the upstairs apartment at the residence, police said. Bragg, Muzerolle and Bragg’s 3-year-old daughter lived downstairs. Muzerolle is the nephew of Oakland Police Chief Mike Tracy.
McCausland said that in the moments after the shooting, an injured Amy Derosby managed to call 911 and provide information that helped first responders when they arrived. The 911 transcripts do not name any of the callers but indicate one or more people inside the house called for help between 8:03 and 8:21 p.m.
In one of those calls, the dispatcher asked if DeRico was still there.
“I don’t know. No, he’s outside somewhere,” a woman said. “He supposedly shot himself. I don’t know if he really did.”
A 911 call from a male neighbor made at 8:26 p.m informed the dispatcher that police were at the wrong house and that he was able to contact Bragg by phone.
“The shooting happened at [redacted],” the male caller said. “The cops are looking at the next one over.” He also told the dispatcher that he “tried signaling the officers but they told me to go into the house.”
McCausland referred all questions about whether law enforcement personnel initially went to the wrong house to the Oakland police chief. Tracy did not return a message seeking comment on Tuesday.
Neighbor Jason Thomas said the day after the shooting that he spoke to Bragg on the phone for about 49 seconds and that she told him she couldn’t move and “I need help.”
Bragg’s young daughter is now living with her grandmother, the mother of the deceased sisters. Hundreds turned out for a candlelight vigil held for the victims.
DeRico was originally from San Jose, California, according to his obituary.