Woman Was Stabbed Nearly 500 Times During Murder Over Money, Drugs: Report

A Maine woman had nearly 500 stab wounds and cuts when a relative found her body wrapped in a blanket in an apartment in April, according to WGME.

Donnell Dana, 39, and Kailee Brackett, 38, of Perry, Maine, have been charged with murder in connection to Kimberly Neptune's death. A police affidavit detailing the case was released that was made public earlier this week.

WGME reported that the affidavit revealed that witnesses told investigators that in days before the April 21 homicide that Brackett had publicly accused Neptune of stealing money. On April 21, Brackett and Dana had planned to steal 300 Xanax pills and money from Neptune.

Brackett was identified as a suspect after she posted pictures online in which she was wearing clothing similar to that of a suspect seen on a neighbor's surveillance camera near Neptune's home on Thunder Road, according WGME.

When police interviewed Dana, who shares a son with Brackett, he told them he lived with Neptune, 43, for a number of years before moving out in 2021. He told police he slept on the couch and the two were never in a serious relationship, according to WGME.

According to the affidavit, Dana told police that he takes medications for seizures and could not remember where he was on April 21. Police notified Dana of his blood being in Neptune's stairwell, to which he said he had bled in her apartment the previous year. However, he had scratch marks on his chest and marks on his lower legs and right ear, suggesting a recent physical altercation, WGME reported.

Though Dana denied the killing, a witness told police that he and Brackett had spoken of a planned a drug robbery the day of the killing. Brackett told the witness that she and Neptune "were seeing each other," according to WGME.

Bracket called Neptune on April 20 to arrange a night together at Neptune's apartment while also getting a babysitting, WGME reported. The witness told police that Brackett and Dana showed up at Neptune's apartment, where Dana attacked her and Brackett stole jewelry, money and Xanax, police said.

According to WGME, Neptune was stabbed 484 times in her legs, stomach, neck and head. Her brother, who has a key to the apartment, found Neptune dead and wrapped in a blanket when he went to see her at approximately 8 p.m. April 21.

The witness told police that Dana told her a few days later that he had killed Neptune after "a fight that got out of control," WGME reported.

Brackett and Dana were indicted on murder charges in May and remain at the Washington County Jail in Machias without bail.