John Williams, the suspect in a Maine shooting that killed Somerset County Sheriff's Cpl. Eugene Cole, remains the subject of a manhunt, and authorities have revealed that Cole was involved in the arrest of the suspect's lover days before being fatally shot, Fox News reported.
Cole, 62, was reportedly killed Wednesday in a shootout with 29-year-old Williams, who authorities said stole the sheriff's deputy's car, robbed a convenience store and later abandoned the vehicle.
It is unclear what led to the shooting, but Cole's body was found Wednesday morning on the side of U.S. Route 2 in Norridgewock.
Police launched a manhunt and by Thursday the FBI were offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Williams, News Center Maine reported.
On Thursday evening Somerset County Sheriff Dale Lancaster said Williams was still at large and revealed that the suspect's girlfriend had been arrested Saturday following a traffic stop for which Cole was one of the responding officers, Fox News said.
According to documents in the case file, Kristina A. Pomerleau, 32, remained in jail as of Thursday after being found in possession of cocaine and charged for unlawful furnishing of scheduled drugs, possession of scheduled drugs, operating after suspension and possession of a suspended license, The Portland Press Herald noted.
It has also since emerged that Williams was arrested last month in Massachusetts during a traffic stop and was scheduled to appear in court Wednesday on firearm and driving-related charges.
A friend said he had encountered Williams hours before the shooting and noted that he appeared upset about the pending court hearing and about his girlfriend's arrest, according to the Press Herald.
On Friday morning, Lancaster reached out to Williams.
"If John Williams is listening to me ... we will do anything to resolve this situation peacefully," he said, according to CNN. "I would like him to understand that we are here. We are willing to listen. Please reach out and let's start that communication."
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