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Suspect in killing of Maine millionaire in Maryland found incompetent for trial

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Suspect in killing of Maine millionaire in Maryland found incompetent for trial


POTOMAC, Maryland (WGME) — The man accused of killing a Maine millionaire at a Maryland senior living facility has been found not competent to stand trial.

Twenty-two-year-old Maurquise James of Baltimore is accused of killing 87-year-old Robert Fuller on February 14 inside his apartment at Cogir Assisted Living in Potomac, Maryland, where James worked as one of Fuller’s caregivers.

He was arrested by police after a separate incident, where he shot at a Maryland State Trooper during a traffic stop just 10 days after allegedly killing Fuller.

Suspect in killing of Robert Fuller Jr., a Maine lawyer and philanthropist, who{ }was shot to death at a senior living facility in Maryland. (Montgomery County police)

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According to WJLA, a judge ruled James is incompetent and “dangerous,” ordering him held in a psychiatric facility until his next evaluation in November.

While the criminal case moves forward, questions remain about what facility leaders knew before Fuller’s death.

The family of Fuller’s longtime partner, Linda Buttrick, has filed a civil lawsuit claiming management ignored repeated warnings about James’ behavior.

According to WJLA, Buttrick and Fuller lived together at the Cogir senior living facility. She was inside their apartment when Fuller was fatally shot, allegedly by James , who was a Cogir Medicine Technician.

The lawsuit alleges James’ mother — a senior director at the facility — suppressed complaints and retaliated against staff who raised concerns, including firing a nurse who documented issues with James just 11 days before the killing.

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Cogir Potomac Senior Living (WJLA)

Cogir Potomac Senior Living (WJLA)

In the days following the killing, multiple employees — and Buttrick herself — identified James to police as a possible suspect or person of interest, according to the filing. Despite that, the lawsuit said Cogir continued assigning him as Buttrick’s medication technician and sent him alone into the apartment where Fuller had been killed.

“Buttrick, who has Parkinson’s disease and had just discovered her partner’s body, was required to receive medications from the hands of the man she identified to police as a suspect,” the complaint states. “She was alone in her home, which was still a crime scene, with zero protection and no recourse.”

The lawsuit seeks to hold Cogir accountable for what it describes as “violations of Ms. Buttrick’s safety and dignity” and an “institutional disregard for resident welfare” that the family believes contributed to Fuller’s death.

Cogir of Potomac did not immediately respond to WJLA’s request for comment.

Fuller practiced law in Maine for more than 35 years, was a senior officer in the Naval Reserve, and authored the murder mystery novel “Unnatural Deaths,” published in 2009.

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His philanthropy included contributions to many institutions in the Augusta area, including a $1.64 million gift in 2021 to modernize Cony High School’s Alumni Field complex, according to the Bangor Daily News.

Robert Fuller Jr., a Maine lawyer and philanthropist, was shot to death at a senior living facility in Maryland on Saturday. He was 87. (WJLA)

Robert Fuller Jr., a Maine lawyer and philanthropist, was shot to death at a senior living facility in Maryland on Saturday. He was 87. (WJLA)

The BDN reports he was a descendant of Supreme Court Chief Justice Melville Fuller, who served from 1888 to 1910 and notably voted to uphold the “separate but equal” decision in the landmark Plessy v. Ferguson.

Fuller commissioned a statue of his ancestor in 2013 that was installed in front of the old Kennebec County courthouse in Augusta. However, the BDN reports the statue became controversial after the killing of George Floyd in 2020 and the scrutiny that followed of the county’s history of racial injustice. Fuller agreed to take the statue back and pay for its removal.

Fuller had reportedly moved to the Washington D.C. area to be closer to family before moving into the senior living facility.

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Ethan Andrews with the Bangor Daily News and WJLA contributed to this report.



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Dog who called Maryland shelter home for 7 years finally adopted: “There wasn’t a dry eye in the house”

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Dog who called Maryland shelter home for 7 years finally adopted: “There wasn’t a dry eye in the house”


The SPCA  of Anne Arundel County announced that their longest running shelter resident has been adopted. Kylo Jace found his forever home after living at the SPCA of Anne Arundel County for 7 years. 

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The SPCA said on their Facebook page thar Kylo is a dog who “takes many meetings with someone in order to fully trust them and feel comfortable enough to show his true silly, wonderful personality.” 

Over the years, he had specific volunteers and staff who had earned his trust and would take turns walking and caring for him day after day, the shelter said.

Over the course of the past 7 months, the woman who adopted Kylo came to visit him twice a week and slowly, but surely, worked her way into his trusted inner circle. 

Kylo Jace with his new owner

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SPCA of Anne Arundel County


The team at SPCA even worked to ensure Kylo was comfortable getting into his new owner’s car, doing home visits before the big day. On Sunday, he officially left the building that he has spent the past few years in for the final time.   

“There wasn’t a dry eye in the house and we truly are on Cloud 9 knowing he gets to spend the rest of his life loved for exactly who he is!” shelter staff said on social media.

Kylo’s adoption fee was fully paid for in memory of Jim Ehrig, a fan favorite of Kylo’s who passed away. 

The SPCA hopes Kylo’s story will encourage more people to take a chance on a shelter dog. 

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Readers vote for best ice cream shop on Lower Shore of Maryland

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Readers vote for best ice cream shop on Lower Shore of Maryland


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  • Island Creamery was voted the best local ice cream shop in a Delmarva Now reader poll.
  • Dumser’s Dairyland, which first opened in 1939, secured second place in the ice cream poll.

The results are in for Delmarva Now’s reader poll of the best local ice cream shop on Maryland’s Lower Shore.

The 10 ice cream shops featured in the poll from the Ocean City, Salisbury and Berlin areas are often sought out by beachgoers with a sweet tooth during the hot summer months.

Get to know the winner and runner-up below.

Island Creamery voted best ice cream shop on Lower Shore

Island Creamery finished in first place with 47 votes, or 62.67% of the total, in Delmarva Now’s reader poll.

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The creamery, named “Best Ice Cream Place in America” on July 7, 2023, for its use of fresh, quality ingredients and creativity, is best known for unique flavors such as Wallops Rocket Fuel and Rum Raisin.

It operates three locations across the Delmarva Peninsula: 120 N. Main St. in Berlin, 306 Dogwood Drive in Salisbury and 6243 Maddox Blvd. in Chincoteague, Virginia.

Dumser’s Dairyland secures second place in ice cream poll

Dumser’s Dairyland secured second place in Delmarva Now’s reader poll with 16 votes, or 21.33% of the total.

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The family-owned business first opened in 1939 and offers a wide variety of fresh ice cream flavors, including coconut chocolate chip, butter pecan and mint Oreo.

Dumser’s Dairyland operates seven locations in Ocean City, including on the Boardwalk, in West Ocean City and along Coastal Highway. Some locations capture the look of a 1950s diner.

Olivia Minzola covers communities on the Lower Shore. Contact her with tips and story ideas at ominzola@delmarvanow.com.

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Maryland lawmakers express condolences after sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham

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Maryland lawmakers express condolences after sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham


Maryland lawmakers serving in the U.S. Congress expressed their condolences on Sunday after the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.

Graham, a Republican, died on Saturday following a “brief and sudden illness,” according to his office. He was 71 years old.

Republican Congressman Andy Harris, who represents Maryland in the House of Representatives, called Stewart a “true leader” and said his “selfless service to his country both in uniform and in Congress is much appreciated.”

“My deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, dedicated staff, and the people of South Carolina during this difficult time,” Harris said. “Working with him on budget issues made it clear to me that he was a true leader in the fight to restore fiscal responsibility, and he will be sorely missed.”

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Graham died on Saturday evening, shortly after he returned from a trip to Ukraine. He was scheduled to appear on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday.

He served in the U.S. House of Representatives, followed by four terms in the U.S. Senate. Before his political career, Graham served in the United States Air Force.

Maryland Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen, who served with Graham in Congress for more than two decades, said that even though the two disagreed on many issues, they had always had “an open line of communication and honest conversation.”

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“Whenever possible, we worked together to find common ground, including our joint efforts to support our Syrian Kurdish partners and the SDF, who have been our main allies in the fight against ISIS,” Van Hollen stated. “My heart goes out to Lindsey’s loved ones during this difficult time.”



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