A 60-year-old disabled veteran charged with a 22-year-old murder waived his right to a bail hearing in Cumberland County Superior Court this morning, and will remain in jail.

Roger Roy Bernier is charged with the 1986 murder of Mary Kelley in Portland.

Bernier, who has no criminal record, was arrested and charged last month, more than 22 years after the 1986 murder. He is being held in Cumberland County Jail.

Kelley was found strangled in the bathtub of her apartment on Congress Street. She was known to be friends with homeless people in the area, including Bernier.

Bernier had told police he was at her apartment until about 9 p.m. the night she was killed, and left when she wanted to take a shower.

Sineni said that because Bernier is indigent and would not be able to pay
any amount of bail, he did not see any reason to argue the issue before
Justice Thomas Warren.