The woman who discovered the body of a slain cop in Maine later learned that she helped raise the man accused of killing him, according to reports.
Kimberly Sirois reportedly discovered Somerset County Cpl. Eugene Cole lying dead in her Norridgewock backyard Wednesday morning and notified authorities who were at a nearby fire station.
She was later informed the suspect was 29-year-old John Williams — who lived with her as a teenager — while she was questioned by police, news station WGME reported.
“I said, ‘Hey, I found your officer. He’s in my yard,’ and then they all came running over and put us in the house,” Sirois said.
During a police interview, she learned that Williams was the suspect in the shooting death, news station WGME reported.
Williams was arrested after a four-day manhunt on charges of killing the officer and stealing his cruiser.
Sirois said Williams moved in with her during his freshman year at Skowhegan High School and lived there until he graduated.
In recent years, Williams struggled with drug use but Sirois said she can’t imagine him killing anyone.
“I do hope he’s found and hope he’s found alive because if not, I not only have to mourn the loss of the officer, I have to mourn the loss of my child,” she said before Williams was found in the manhunt.
Former classmates also said they were in disbelief that Williams was suspected of the crime.
“When in school he was a nice, funny and an all-around good guy,” classmate Casey Sprout-Costa said.
Williams appeared Monday in court where he was ordered held without bail.