Francis Smith, 56, from Norridgewock was found crushed underneath a manure spreader on Thursday. He was pronounced dead at the scene
A farmer from Maine who had served time in jail for a kidnapping in 2012 has been killed in an accident involving a piece of farm equipment.
Francis Smith, 56, from Norridgewock was found crushed underneath a manure spreader on Thursday. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
‘It appears that Mr. Smith was working to repair the equipment when the front tongue jack, which appears to have not been properly pinned in place, rotated and caused the spreader to fall on Mr. Smith,’ Chief Deputy James Ross, of the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office, said.
Ross said investigators did not know when the accident happened.
Smith’s family had not been able to get a hold of him since Monday, Ross said.
Ross confirmed that Smith was the same man who pleaded guilty to kidnapping, criminal threatening, terrorizing and assault charges for taking a hostage at a paper mill in March 2012.
Smith was sentenced to 12 years in prison but was released after six. He was currently serving six years probation.
Smith was working to repair the equipment when the spreader toppled over and fell on top of him. It appeared to have not been properly secured at the time
Smith’s lawyer from the trial said that he was severely depressed about losing his job at the mill after having worked there for almost 25 years.
Smith then held the mill manager hostage in his office for more than six hours.
He brought two guns along with him and ashed the manager of the mill to shoot the manager dead.
Smith held a handgun to the manager’s head and forced him into a chair during the incident. After negotiating with police over the phone, Smith eventually released him some nine hours later.
Before sentencing in November 2012, Smith read from a statement that he was a different person at the time of the crime. He asked judge Michaela Murphy to ‘remember the good Francis’ who would not commit those crimes and said there was ‘absolutely no chance of there being repeat behavior.’
The judge agreed to give him probation after serving six years after feeling that there was evidence he was remorseful and would use probation to get any help he needed.
‘I often do not offer probation when there has been serious conduct, but I’m confident he would take advantage of those opportunities in probation,’ she said.
‘He reacted that way, which is not the right way, but that’s what happened and he paid for it,’ he said. ‘It’s very sad. I think he could have had some more breaks.’