A suspect in the shooting death of a Biddeford man two years ago is scheduled to make his initial court appearance Friday morning after turning himself in to authorities Thursday.
Mohamud Mohamed, 21, was accompanied by his attorney, Thomas Hallett, when he turned himself in at the Cumberland County Courthouse.
Police already have charged two other men in connection with the killing of Charles Raybine, 47, in what police say was a drug-related shooting in Biddeford on March 26, 2013.
John Lopez, 20, of Old Orchard Beach, was charged in April. Bub Peter Nguany was arrested within hours of the shooting.
While only one man allegedly pulled the trigger, according to witness statements in a previously released court affidavit, the others also are responsible, said Assistant Attorney General John Alsop, who is prosecuting the case. He would not divulge what role Mohamed is accused of playing in the killing.
“He is accused of participating in the murder of Charles Raybine along with his co-defendants John Lopez and Bub Peter Nguany,” Alsop said.
Police were called at 1 a.m. on March 26 to Parish Place Apartments in Biddeford, where they found Raybine shot several times in the face with a .45-caliber handgun.
Police said Raybine was known to abuse drugs and, based on witness statements, was smoking crack cocaine and drinking while playing cards in an apartment at 41 Birch St. in Biddeford before the shooting.
At one point during the night, Raybine, who lived elsewhere in Biddeford, and his nephew, Morgan Palmer, went outside and sat in Raybine’s car, although a Maine State Police affidavit does not say why. Two cars pulled up, one on either side of the parking lot.
Palmer told police that a man got out of the passenger seat of one of the cars, a dark Toyota Prius, and walked over to Raybine’s car. Palmer described the man as 6 feet tall, 175 to 200 pounds, black, wearing a baseball cap and dark jacket, and possibly a hooded sweatshirt, according to court papers. The man pointed to Palmer and asked, “Yo, who you with, who’s this?” the affidavit says. Raybine answered, “That’s Mo.” The man then fired a gun at Raybine’s face.
An autopsy showed that Raybine died of multiple gunshots to the head and neck.
Nguany was arrested hours after Raybine’s death as he tried to leave his Old Orchard Beach home in a taxi. An Old Orchard Beach police officer had arrested Nguany two days earlier in a traffic stop and recognized him from a witness’ description of one of Raybine’s killers.
Neither Alsop nor state police would explain why it took two years to bring murder charges against Lopez and Mohamed.
“Over the past two years, it’s been a continuing, ongoing investigation. The evidence continued to build,” said Lt. Brian McDonough, head of the state police major crimes division for southern Maine. “We try to be methodical and strategic and do everything right. I think the evidence is very compelling against all three.”
McDonough said details of the case are still sealed and premature release could hurt the investigation, which doesn’t stop just because arrests have been made.
Police had sought Mohamed since April, shortly after he was released from Cumberland County Jail in Portland, where he was being held on unrelated charges. His last known address was in Kennedy Park in Portland.
“Despite the best efforts of state police and other law enforcement, his whereabouts remained unknown,” Alsop said.
Mohamed met with and retained Hallett on Thursday and the attorney arranged for Mohamed to surrender to state police in front of the courthouse. Hallett said he had not yet reviewed the details of the case.
“I have not seen discovery. I have no idea what kind of evidence they may or may not have,” Hallett said. “I’m suspicious they don’t have very strong evidence convicting my client because they delayed indictment two and half years,” he said.
David Hench can be contacted at 791-6327 or at:
Twitter: @Mainehenchman
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