MACHIAS, Maine — Jurors deliberated six hours Tuesday at the Washington County Judicial Center before asking to go home for the night without reaching a verdict in the double murder trial of Matthew Davis, 35, of Houlton.
They are scheduled to resume deliberations at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Davis is accused of shooting Michael Kitchen, 51, and Heidi Pratt, 49, to death in the early morning hours of Sept. 23, 2013, in the Oakfield home they shared, setting their house ablaze and fleeing in a stolen pickup truck. Davis also is accused of stealing other vehicles, setting other fires and damaging property.
Jurors heard closing arguments Monday afternoon before being dismissed for the night at about 5 p.m.
Superior Court Justice E. Allen Hunter gave some final instructions Tuesday morning and dismissed three alternates. The jury of eight women and four men began deliberating about 9:15 a.m., took an hour for lunch and asked to go home at about 4:15 p.m.
The jury must decide whether Davis is guilty or not guilty of two counts of murder, four counts of arson and three counts of theft and one count of aggravated criminal mischief.
About 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, the jury requested a short readback of the direct examination of Maine State Police Sgt. Chadwick Fuller concerning a search of Beaver Dam Point Road, where Davis was arrested, and the discovery of Kitchen’s discarded wallet, which a police dog found in the woods beside the road.
In the afternoon, they heard the cross-examination of Fuller, which included testimony about him and the dog tracking Davis’ scent along a road that led past several camps the defendant allegedly broke into before Davis was arrested the night of Sept. 23, 2013.
More than a dozen of the victims’ family members waited in the hallway outside the courtroom and in a conference room while jurors deliberated. Davis was allowed to remain in the courtroom with his attorneys. He was able to talk with his wife and family members while a corrections officer sat nearby, a practice that prosecutors said they have not observed at other courthouses.
Tuesday marked the 12th day of proceedings in the trial. Opening statements were made late in the day on Dec. 6 after 3½ days of jury selection that began Dec. 1. The trial convened just three days last week because of a winter storm Dec. 12 and a scheduling conflict Friday.
The judge moved the case to Washington County in September after a jury could not be seated in Aroostook County.
Davis did not take the stand in his own defense.
If convicted, Davis faces between 25 years and life in prison on each of the murder counts, the most serious charges.
BDN writer Jen Lynds contributed to this report.