7/10/2010

On Wednesday June 23, 2010, I was assigned as primary investigator of the facts and circumstances surrounding a triple homicide in the town of Amity. Through my own investigation, and the efforts of other investigtors I have learned the following:

 On Wednesday, June 23, 2010 at 9:30 pm a 9-1-1 call was placed to Penobscot RCC. The call was transferred to Houlton RCC and the caller, Robert DeHahn, advised he went to 163 US Route One in the town of Amity to look for his son Jason DaHahn. Robert entered the residence and found ten Year old Jesse Ryan (D.O.B. 2/20/00) deceased. Tpr. Carman Lilley arrived and discovered the owner of the residence Jeffrey Ryan (D.O.B. 5/24/55) deceased in a small shed next to the residence. Based on information from Robert DeHahn, officers learned Jeffrey Ryan's 1989 Ford F-150 truck, bearing Maine passenger car 4155 RY, was missing from the scene as well as Jason DeHahn. An attempt to locate teletype was put out through NCIC for Jeffrey Ryan's Ford truck and Jason DeHahn. Sgt. Brian Harris and other units had responded and during a subsequent search of the property, Jason DeHahn (D.O.B. 7/10/79) was found deceased in a ditch at the end of the driveway. All three victims had apparent sharp force trauma injuries. Jason DeHahn also had an apparent encised wound to the neck.

On Wednesday June 23, 2010 Tpr. Carman Lilley spoke with Jeffrey Ryan's neighbor, Roland Mayberry who was staying in a camp out behind Jeff Ryan's residence. Roland told Tpr. Lilley he left his residence on Wednesday June 23, 2010 at approximately 7:30 am hours and observed Jeff's truck and car parked in his driveway. When Roland returned home from Houlton at approximately 10:00 am, he noticed Jeff's truck was no longer parked at the residence.

Interviews with family members and acquaintances were conducted. Jeffrey Ryan and Jesse Ryan were identified as residing at 163 US Route One. Jeff traveled to Lewiston, ME. on Saturday June 19, 2010 to pick up his son Jesse for a Father's Day visit. Jason DeHahn was identified as residing at 313 US Route One, with his wife and three children. Crystal DeHahn, Jason's wife, reported she last saw Jason at approximately 4:00 pm the previous evening, Tuesday, June 22, 2010, when Jason left on a four-wheel ATV to go work on it at his parent's residence located a short distance away. Jason did not return home and Crystal later called Jason's parents learning that Jason never showed up there. Crystal called Jeff Ryan's cell phone several times Tuesday night and Wednesday and did not make contact with Jeff.

By requesting cellular telephone records on Jeffrey Ryan's cellular phone through Verizon, we learned the following: Jeff Ryan's phone had been text messaging his ex-wife Jaime Merrill's cellular phone and, through a subsequent interview with Jamie, we learned she and Jesse Ryan were text messaging back and forth with the last message sent from Jesse at 12:41 pm on Tuesday, June 22, 2010. Jeff Ryan's cell phone placed a call to Vincente Burgos' phone at 5:36 pm on Tuesday, June 22, 2010. At 5:39 pm on Tuesday, Jeff Ryan's cell phone received a phone call from Vincente Burgos' phone. All subsequent incoming calls into Jeff Ryan's cell phone appear to have been unanswered based on cellular records and interviews.

6 On Thursday June 24, 2010 at 3:30 pm, detectives interviewed Vincente Burgos. Vincente reported that he spoke to Jeffrey Ryan via cellular phone on Burgos' way back from work on Tuesday June 22, 2010 at 5:39 hours and during that conversation stated he planned to stop by Ryan's residence for a visit. Vincente told detectives he stopped by the 163 US Route One Amity residence and had a beer with Jeff Ryan and Jason DeHahn at approximately 6:00 pm. During a follow up interview with Vincente on Sunday, June 27, 2010 detectives confirmed that Vincente was there on Tuesday June 22, 2010 and learned the beer Vincente drank while he was with Jeff Ryan was a Budweiser beer, in a can, and Vincente took the can with him when he left approximately fifteen minutes later. On Wednesday June 23, 2010, Vincente reported that he cashed a check at the Houlton Wal-Mart at 6:07 pm hours then traveled to 163 US Route One in Amity. Vincente reported that he went into the house and yelled, but no one was in sight or responded. Vincente said the dog was inside at the time. Vincente was the last identified person to see Jeff Ryan, Jason DeHahn and Jesse Ryan alive.

On Thursday June 24, 2010 at approximately 12:00 am Maine State Police Evidence Response Team technicians arrived and began to process the scene at 163 US Route 1 in Amity. Evidence technicians collected three Budweiser beer bottles located together on the kitchen counter inside the Ryan residence.

All three Budweiser bottles were approximately half full of liquid.

Numerous cigarette butts were collected from the scene, only one of which stood out to evidence technicians. One cigarette butt with a white filter was resting on the ash tray on the kitchen table, and appeared to have burned out leaving a long ash attached to the filter. The cigarette butt had a distinct brownish line around the filter and diamond pattern around the cigarette butt.

Many items of evidence were collected from the scene both inside and outside the residence.

On Friday June 25, 2010, autopsies were conducted on the bodies of Jeffrey Ryan, Jesse Ryan and Jason DeHahn. All three male victims were examined by Dr. Marguerite Dewitt at the Medical Examiners Office in Augusta. The manner of all three deaths was determined to be homicide caused by sharp force trauma.

On Saturday June 26, 2010, at approximately 11:28 am, Darren Cifelli reported he found a 1989 or 1990 Ford F-150 that had been burned on his property at 678 Bancroft Rd in Weston. Det. Darrin Crane responded to the property and confirmed that the burned truck was the missing 1989 Ford F-150 truck belonging to Jeff Ryan. State Police Evidence Response Team technicians and State Fire Marshalls Office Investigators responded and processed the scene. Footwear impressions were observed and documented on the ground near the driver's door. Brett Hanington, a local resident, stopped by the entrance to the burned truck scene and relayed information to investigators. A Budweiser beer bottle was located near the tree line adjacent to the truck and later determined to have the same 'born on' date and lot number as one collected on the wood pile at Jeff Ryan's residence. The truck was taken by MSP flatbed to the Crime Lab in Augusta for further processing.

On Saturday June 26, 2010 at 6:12 pm, Brett Hanington was interviewed by detectives. Brett reported that he and his girlfriend, Ashley Wardwell, were traveling the Bancroft Rd on Wednesday June 23, 2010 during the day, and observed a maroon, four wheel drive, Dodge extended cab pickup stopped at the entrance to the field road leading into where Jeff Ryan's burned truck would later be discovered. Brett reported he saw a male getting out of the passenger side of the Dodge pickup. The truck was parked along side of the roadway facing towards Danforth. The male got out of the truck and started down the grass opening and then veered to the right and went into the woods.

The male was carrying a square to oval shaped container out in front of him with two hands. It appeared the top of the container had been cut off and the male was walking as if he was trying not to spill the contents of the container.

The container was white to clear in color. Brett described the male as 5' 8" to 6'2" and 180 pounds or less. The male was wearing a baseball style hat, a grayish shirt and jeans. The male's hair was brownish and coming out from the sides of the hat. Detectives asked if Brett knew the male and Brett said he did not and only saw him from the back side. Brett did say that the man might look like Craig Strout but that he has not seen Craig in a long time. Brett stated the truck looked like a 1995 to 2000 style Dodge extended cab pickup.

He further stated it looked just like one owned by Robert Strout. The maroon Dodge truck took off towards Danforth, leaving the male behind walking up the field road towards where the Jeff Ryan truck was located on Saturday, June 26, 2010.

On Sunday June 27, 2010 at 1:09 pm, I learned from Forensic DNA Analyst Christine Waterhouse, that the evidence scene yielded a full DNA profile of an unknown male on one of the partially full Budweiser beer bottles on the kitchen counter and the white filtered cigarette butt with a long burned out ash resting on an ash tray on the kitchen table, referred to in paragraph 7 of this affidavit. The two other partially filled Budweiser beer bottles collected on the kitchen counter yielded DNA profiles belonging to victims Jeffrey Ryan on one bottle and Jason DeHahn on the other.

On Saturday June 27, 2010 at approximately 5:21 pm, Detective Darrin Crane, who has specialized training in evidence collection and is a member of the Maine State Police Evidence Response Team, went to the Robert and Joy Strout residence. Det. Crane observed footwear impressions in the dirt path leading to the residence doorway. Det. Crane had previously observed similar footwear impressions next to Jeff Ryan's burned truck at the scene on the Bancroft Rd.

On Sunday June 27, 2010 at 2:45 pm, Detective Darrin Crane learned from an interview with Robert Strout of Orient, that he went to Sanford by himself on Friday, June 25, 2010 and returned on Saturday June 26, 2010. During a simultaneous interview with Taunya Strout, one of Robert Strout's daughters, Det. Dale Keegan learned that a Thayne Ormsby had been staying at the Robert and Joy Strout residence in Orient for several weeks. Detectives learned that Thayne Ormsby is a son of Maria Ormsby who is a long time friend of Tamara Strout, Taunya's twin sister. Taunya told detectives that her father's recent trip downstate was to take Thayne to stay with Robert (Bobby) Strout II in Dover New Hampshire. In follow-up conversation, Robert Strout of Orient, admitted to Detective Crane that he actually did take Thayne to Dover New Hampshire and the purpose of the trip was to take Thayne to Bobby's.

On Monday June 28, 2010 at approximately 1:00 pm the Jeff Ryan pick-up truck was processed at the crime lab in Augusta by Maine State Police Evidence Technicians, Crime Lab Staff and Fire Marshall's Office Investigators. Evidence was collected from the truck. Fire Marshall's Office Investigators determined that the truck fire started in the driver's side of the interior cab most likely originating as a result of human element.

On Tuesday June 29, 2010 at 12:00 pm, detectives spoke with Mike Kinnon of Danforth, who reported that on Wednesday June 23, 2010 between 12:20 12:30 pm, he observed gray smoke coming from the same general area where the burned truck was eventually located. On Tuesday June 29, 2010 at 12:24pm, detectives spoke to Keith Potter of Weston who drives truck for an oil delivery company. Keith was driving on the Bancroft Rd returning from Wytopitloc on Wednesday June 23, 2010 at approximately 12:00 pm, when he observed very black smoke in the same general area where the burned truck was eventually located. Keith described the smoke as similar to that of burning tires. Keith proceeded to Danforth where he switched trucks and drove back up the Bancroft Rd at approximately 12:30 pm. Keith again observed smoke and this time he pinpointed the location as the corner of the field where the burned truck belonging to Jeff Ryan was eventually located. Keith explained that at the time, he suspected the land owners were burning brush.

On Tuesday June 29, 2010 at approximately 1:30 pm, Thayne Ormsby was interviewed in Dover, NH by Maine State Police Detectives Dale Keegan and Adam Stoutamyer. Thayne was located by detectives in Dover, New Hampshire. This residence is located in Strafford County in the State of New Hampshire. This residence is inhabited by Robert (Bobby) Strout II. During the interview Thayne stated that he smokes Largo pipe tobacco and that he rolls in Gambler tubes. Thayne told detectives he came to Orient to stay with Robert and Joy Strout just after Memorial Day 2010, and left when Robert Strout drove Thayne to Dover, NH on Friday June 25, 2010. Thayne told detectives that Tuesday June 22, 2010, Wednesday June 23, 2010, and Thursday June 24,2010 he was with the family at Robert and Joy Strout's residence in Orient. Thayne told detectives his plan was to move up to Tamara Strout's 214 Springer Rd., Weston residence and fix it up to live there with Tamara's daughter, Mariah Ryan. Thayne told detectives he drove Robert's truck once to the Weston dump. Thayne told detectives he only met Jeff Ryan once when Jeff stopped by the Robert Strout residence for fifteen or twenty minutes approximately two to three weeks ago. Thayne also told detectives the only time he ever went to Jeff Ryan's house was about two to three weeks ago.

While there he stated he drank a bottle of Budweiser beer in the kitchen and out on the porch. Thayne told detectives he had never met Jason DeHahn or Jeff's son. Thayne said he left the beer bottle in Jeff Ryan's sink. Thayne told detectives that on Thursday June 24, 2010 he was in the back bedroom asleep while detectives conducted interviews at the Robert and Joy Strout residence in Orient. Thayne voluntarily gave detectives his DNA and fingerprints. At the conclusion of the interview Thayne Ormsby returned to the Dover NH address with Robert Strout II.

Thayne Orsmby advised detectives that if they needed to find him, he would be staying at the Robert Strout II apartment.

On Wednesday June 30, 2010 at 9:37 am, Forensic Scientist Cindy Homer from the Maine State Police Crime Lab informed detectives that the inked prints of Thayne Ormsby, obtained the day before, match a latent print developed on the Budweiser beer bottle with the unknown male DNA which was collected from the kitchen counter in Jeffrey Ryan's residence.

On Thursday July 1, 2010, at 10:29 am, Forensic DNA Analyst Christine Waterhouse of the Maine State Police Crime Lab informed me that DNA of Thayne Ormsby is a match to the unknown male profile on the Budweiser beer bottle collected from the kitchen counter in Jeffrey Ryan's residence as well as a match to the unknown male profile found on the white diamond pattern cigarette butt in the ashtray on the kitchen table.

On Friday July 2, 2010, at 11:20 am, Detectives Darrin Crane and Josh Haines interviewed Robert Strout of Orient. Robert said that on Tuesday or Wednesday June 22, 2010 or June 23 2010. Thayne Ormsby was staying at the Orient address with Robert and Joy Strout. Robert said he was sitting on his porch when Thayne came through the woods with his bike and went out behind the Strout residence. Thayne asked Robert for a cup of coffee. Robert took the cup of coffee out to Thayne and saw that Thayne's shirt, pants and shoes were covered in blood. Thayne told Robert that he killed Jeffrey Ryan and then said he "killed them all". Thayne told Robert that if Robert did not help him he would kill Robert's family. Thayne told Robert that he took Jeffrey's truck and they had to get rid of it. Robert followed Thayne in Jeffrey's truck to the 214 Springer Rd. Orient residence owned by Tamara Strout. Thayne parked Jeffrey's truck out behind Tamara's residence and entered her residence still wearing the blood soaked clothing. Robert said he left Thayne there and returned to his Orient residence. Robert said he later returned to the Springer Rd residence and Thayne came outside wearing nothing but his underwear. Robert said he was in his maroon Dodge truck and he followed Thayne in Jeffrey's truck to the field road on the Bancroft Rd.

Thayne later told Robert that he needed to go back and burn the truck because there was too much evidence inside. Robert drove Thayne back to Jeffrey's truck on the Bancroft Rd and parked by the mouth of the field road. Robert said Thayne ran back into where Jeffrey's truck had been concealed and moments later Robert heard a "whoosh". Robert said Thayne came running back and told Robert "it's done". Robert said Thayne later told Robert he needed to get rid of the knife. Robert drove Thayne South from his Orient residence and stopped on Route One near a bog where Thayne got out and threw a knife into the water on the East side of the roadway. Thayne gave Robert further details about the incident saying he "knifed Jeff in the wood shed". Thayne told Robert he went back into the residence and Jason and Jesse were sitting on the couch. Thayne told Robert that Jason ran outside and Thayne chased after him and "knifed him". Thayne told Robert he punched Jason and "knifed him again then drug his body to the brook". Thayne told Robert that he went back inside and Jesse was running around. Thayne told Robert that he "knifed Jesse in the back bedroom".

At the time of preparing this affidavit Det. Dale Keegan is currently interviewing Thayne Ormsby at the police department in Dover New Hampshire. Thus far Thayne told Det. Keegan that he killed Jeffrey Ryan in the wood shed at the Jeff Ryan residence because Jeff Ryan is a drug dealer. The last information relayed to us is that Thayne told Detective Keegan he burned the bloody clothing he was wearing in a furnace at the at the 214 Springer Rd Weston residence owned by Tamara Strout. Thayne also told Det. Keegan that he in fact did kill Jason DeHahn and Jesse Ryan by stabbing them to death. Thayne told Detective Keegan that when he first arrived back at the Robert Strout residence in Orient after the killings, Robert Stout told him not to come any closer. After he told Robert Strout what had happened at the Jeff Ryan residence, Robert Strout told Thayne he needed to get out of state. Thayne told Det. Keegan that he never threatened Robert Strout or any member of the Strout family. Thayne said he burned his face and hair while lighting the truck on fire and, once he arrived in Dover, NH, Robert (Bobby) Strout II's boyfriend gave him a haircut.