1:40 p.m.

GRAY - State police say a 40-year-old mother of two was shot to death Monday by her estranged boyfriend at his home in Gray.

Police said Jennifer Lessard was killed by 48-year-old Albert "Sonny" Merrill Jr., who then shot and killed himself.

The two had recently ended a one-year relationship and Lessard had moved out of the house a few weeks ago. Both died from a single gunshot wound to the head.

Their bodies were found on a bed in a second-floor bedroom by state police who entered the house Monday night to check on their well being.

A .22-caliber Ruger handgun was found near Merrill's body. In a letter found in the kitchen, which police categorized as a suicide note, Merrill cited the breakup of the relationship.

Lessard was a pharmacist at Walgreens and had been staying with a friend in Raymond, along with her two sons. Merrill was employed by Jeff Preble Concrete Inc., of Gray, and has two grown daughters.

Detectives said Lessard drove to the house around 4 p.m. to meet Merrill, although it was not clear to investigators why. Police said the shootings took place a short time later.

Lori Clark, Lessard's neighbor, had picked up the victim's two sons at school Monday as part of a car-pooling arrangement. Lessard was to have picked up the boys, a fifth-grader and kindergartener, from Clark's home at 4 p.m., but never showed up.

Clark said she tried unsuccessfully to reach Lessard on the phone. She drove to the victim's home around 6 p.m. and honked, but got no response.

She said Lessard's oldest son told her she should call the police.

Clark said a relative picked up the boys around midnight, and a police detective came about 45 minutes later to interview her.

Lori Clark picked up Jennifer Lessard's sons at school Monday, and became worried when Lessard didn't show up to get the boys. Gordon Chibroski/Staff Photographer


Police say Albert "Sonny" Merrill Jr. killed his estranged girlfriend at this home in Gray.

10:33 a.m.:

GRAY - Maine state police say they are investigating the shooting deaths of a man and woman in the town of Gray as a murder-suicide and a case of domestic violence.

Authorities say the bodies were discovered inside a home at 5 Hemlock Lane on Monday night by state troopers who entered the house after being called there to check on the well being of the occupants.

The bodies were found in an upstairs bedroom.

Investigators say the man shot the woman and then shot himself with a handgun. A suicide note, written by the man, was found in the downstairs kitchen.

State police say they had been called to the house after a day-care provider alerted them that the woman had not picked up her children.

Names were not immediately released.