BIDDEFORD, Maine — A Biddeford landlord charged with murdering two teenagers in 2012 pleaded guilty to the charges at York County Superior Court in Alfred today. He will be sentenced Feb. 11.
James Pak, who is in his late 70s, has been charged with two counts of murder in the Dec. 29, 2012, shooting deaths of 19-year-old Derrick Thompson and his 18-year-old girlfriend Alivia Welch, as well as one count of aggravated attempted murder in the shooting of Thompson’s mother, Susan Johnson.
According to police, Pak shot the victims after a dispute over parking and snow removal at the building where he rented an apartment to Johnson and her son.
Pak had initially pleaded not guilty to the three charges by reason of insanity. His ability to stand trial was debated at hearings in February and May 2015, before Justice John O’Neil Jr. ruled in November that Pak is mentally competent to stand trial.
A trial had been set to start Feb. 17.
Pak appeared in court today wearing an orange prison jumpsuit for the Rule 11, or change of plea hearing, which lasted about an hour. Because of hearing difficulties, Pak was given a device to ensure he could hear what was going on.
The court also recognizes Pak struggles with the English language and has cognitive limitations, so the O’Neil conducted the hearing in an atypical manner in which he posed many questions directly to Pak’s attorney, Joel Vincent.
When asked if he was making the decision to change his plea willingly and understood he would be giving up his right to a trial, Pak said he did. “I am guilty,” he said in a quiet, gravely voice.