The intensive Manhunt for the killer of Maine Guide Wesley Porter
The manhunt for Wesley Porter's killer took 66 days, from June 4, 1943 until August 9, 1943,
and involved over 50 searchers, including law enforcement, Maine Guides and friends of the Porter family.
The Maine Civil Air Patrol flew over 4,000 miles aiding in the manhunt.
It was the longest manhunt in Maine for 73 years until the August 2016 Parkman Murder.
and involved over 50 searchers, including law enforcement, Maine Guides and friends of the Porter family.
The Maine Civil Air Patrol flew over 4,000 miles aiding in the manhunt.
It was the longest manhunt in Maine for 73 years until the August 2016 Parkman Murder.
The Capture of Alphonse Morence of St. Sabien - St. Duphiele, Quebec, CANADA
Morence, 35, was first flown from Clear Mountain to Portage and questioned by Maine State Police Lt. Merle Cole with the aid of French interpreters Warden Cash Austin and Cyril Jondreau. Morence advised he had entered Maine by way of Lac Frontier and had spend three years and cold winters trying to survive by breaking into camps
for food and shelter.
(Lac-Frontière is a municipality in Montmagny Regional County Municipality within the Chaudière-Appalaches
region of Quebec. It is located at the border (frontière in French) with the United States.)
Due to Morence's frail condition, having lived as a nomad in the Maine Woods to escape Canadian conscription into the military during WWII, Morence was flown from Portage,to Greenville and died August 9, 1943 due to blood loss sustained 12 hours after being shot in the leg.After his body was cleaned and he was shaved and given a haircut,
one observer stated Morence looked like an English poet.
Maine State Attorney General Cowan officially closed the investigation of Wesley Porter's murder on August 11, 1943.
Morence, 35, was first flown from Clear Mountain to Portage and questioned by Maine State Police Lt. Merle Cole with the aid of French interpreters Warden Cash Austin and Cyril Jondreau. Morence advised he had entered Maine by way of Lac Frontier and had spend three years and cold winters trying to survive by breaking into camps
for food and shelter.
(Lac-Frontière is a municipality in Montmagny Regional County Municipality within the Chaudière-Appalaches
region of Quebec. It is located at the border (frontière in French) with the United States.)
Due to Morence's frail condition, having lived as a nomad in the Maine Woods to escape Canadian conscription into the military during WWII, Morence was flown from Portage,to Greenville and died August 9, 1943 due to blood loss sustained 12 hours after being shot in the leg.After his body was cleaned and he was shaved and given a haircut,
one observer stated Morence looked like an English poet.
Maine State Attorney General Cowan officially closed the investigation of Wesley Porter's murder on August 11, 1943.
Additional news articles about the search.
Letter of Commendation issued to Trooper James Mealey for his work on the Wesley Porter murder case, written by Laurence Upton, Acting Chief of Maine State Police on August 26, 1943.
Letterhead paper at the time was shorter than regular 8-1/2 x 11 sheets of paper as the sheets were truncated to save paper for the war effort ongoing at the time of Wesley Porter's death.