SOUTH PORTLAND — Police know who shot and killed a 50-year-old Henry Street man last weekend, Maine Department of Public Safety spokesman Stephen McCausland said Wednesday morning.

McCausland said investigators understand the events that led up to the death of Fred Wilson, a computer programmer who was shot and killed early Saturday morning in the basement of his 25 Henry St. home.

“We know what happened,” McCausland said. “We know who shot him.”

McCausland said no arrests have been made, but there were two other men in Wilson’s home at the time of the shooting. Investigators have interviewed both men and are still examining evidence, including a gun, and working with the attorney general’s office about possible charges against the suspect. 

A representative from the state medical examiner’s office said autopsy results concluded that Wilson died of a gunshot wound to the head. 

South Portland police were called to Wilson’s home at 7:46 p.m. Saturday
after receiving a report that a man had been injured there earlier in
the day. When nobody at the home answered the door, police entered the residence and discovered the decreased man.

On Monday, residents of Wilson’s Willard Beach neighborhood reacted with shock and disbelief to news that a member of their community was fatally shot in his basement over the weekend.

Wilson’s neighbors described him as friendly and always willing to lend a hand. They said Wilson has been an ideal neighbor since he built what they described as his beautiful, 2 1/2-story colonial home with ocean views several years ago. 

Ray Lee, of 28 Henry St., said he got to know Wilson when both men were overseeing the construction of their homes. He said Wilson was not the type of person who would easily make enemies.

“He was just the nicest guy,” Lee said. “You’d just mention something, and he’d jump to help you.”

Lee said nothing seemed out of place when he last spoke with Wilson on Thursday, when both of them were outside doing yard work. Lee said he was awake most of Friday night and Saturday morning with back pain. At about 2 a.m., Lee said he noticed two cars, one red and one black, parked in Wilson’s driveway. 

“I thought that was strange, because he never has company over that late,” Lee said.

Willard Haven Park resident Jane Maloney, whose front door is about 30 yards from Wilson’s back door, said she didn’t hear any noise early Saturday morning when police believe Wilson was shot. “Usually you can hear a pin drop in this neighborhood,” she said. 

Maloney said she couldn’t believe that anyone would want to hurt Wilson. 

“He was the best neighbor,” she said. “Sometimes he would give me rides home if he spotted me by the bus stop.” 

Henry Street resident Glyn Williams, who lives two doors down from the Wilson home, huddled on Willard Street with other neighborhood residents. Williams said Wilson would often accompany him when he would walk his dog on Willard Beach and would often help with his computer. 

“He was a real computer wiz,” Williams said. “He was always quite happy. He always had a lot to say, but I never heard him say anything bad about anything or anybody.”

Residents said the incident has made them feel unsafe in their own homes. Some wondered whether they should get firearms to protect themselves. 

“I got rid of all my guns,” Lee said. “Maybe I should have kept the hand gun.”

 

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South Portland police returned to 25 Henry St. on Monday to collect more evidence in their investigation of a suspicious shooting death that occured early Saturday morning. (Billings photo)