He Shot Three People To Death And Claimed Accidental Discharge And Self-defense. The Jury Didn’t Buy It.

A Maine man killed three people at separate locations the same day but claimed it was due to an accident and self-defense.

Now, he will never walk free again.

Recently, a Waldo County Superior Court judge handed Thomas Bonfanti, 65, a life term in prison without the possibility of parole for the shooting death of Shawn Currey, 57, Jennifer Bryant Flynn, 49, and Samuel Powers, 33.

Bonfanti was found guilty and convicted of three counts of murder, aggravated attempted murder, and elevated aggravated assault.

“There’s nothing that can come close to making up for the loss these people have suffered. At least from this end of things, in a legal justice sense, he was held accountable, but there’s no silver lining in this. This man is evil, and he deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison,” said Assistant Attorney General Bud Ellis, according to WABI.

In February 2020, officers responded to three homicide scenes at different locations in the Down East part of the state. During the trial. Bonfanti testified he had gone to the residence of Powers and shot him by accident while showing off his weapon.

Then, the defendant drove to Bryant’s home in Machias, Maine, where he accidentally shot her during an argument. Next, Bonfanti proceeded to another home in Machias shared by Currey and Regina Hall Long, where his gun fell from his pocket. The defendant claimed his gun fell out of his pocket, and the duo tried to grab the gun and threatened to kill him.

Then, he shot both of them repeatedly; however, Hall survived the ordeal and testified during the trial.

In a rebuttal, prosecutors described the defendant’s claim of events as pure utter nonsense, reported WGME. Bonfanti’s motive for the killings remains unclear.

During the sentencing hearing, Hall told the judge that Bonfanti deserves to be sent to another country to serve his life sentence where torture is allowed.

The victims’ families thanked the jury for providing closure and relief.