In the early morning of October 23, 2012, two men were shot and killed on family property in Lamoine, Maine. Robert Tilden, 50, and his brother-in-law Russell Pinkham, 50, were found dead outside their homes on the property around 3:30 a.m. Family members had reported concern about 27-year-old Leon R. Tilden’s recent erratic behavior, saying he seemed depressed, had been staying up late, and had sometimes discharged firearms at night. Robert Tilden had told a neighbor he feared his son might kill him.

A manhunt for Leon Tilden ended around 10 a.m. when the Maine State Police Tactical Team located him near the family property. An armed confrontation followed; a detective shot Leon Tilden, who later died at a local medical center, and the investigation closed with the primary suspect deceased. The motive for the killings remains unclear. Robert Tilden was remembered as a hardworking man who made Christmas wreaths, created chainsaw art, worked as a clammer and bloodworm harvester, and once appeared on the Discovery Channel show Dirty Jobs.

If anyone knew the family or saw activity on the property that morning, please share what was seen or heard.