The man charged with the murder of an Edgecomb 3-year-old was unsuccessful in his bid for a decreased bail during a brief hearing in Lincoln County Superior Court on Thursday, Oct. 12.
Justice Daniel Billings declined defense arguments that Tyler Witham-Jordan, 29, was unjustly accused of the Christmas Day 2022 death of Makinzlee Handrahan.
Witham-Jordan is being held at Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset on $250,000 cash bail. Should he make bail, conditions stipulate he is not have any contact with Handrahan’s mother, may not use or possess alcohol or drugs, and must submit to a search of his person upon request to ensure he is in compliance.
While refusing to lower bail, Billings made note that his decision was not determinative of any finding of guilt.
Law enforcement and emergency medical services were called to Handrahan’s home off Route 1 in Edgecomb around 7:37 a.m. Dec. 25 after the 3-year-old was discovered unresponsive in her bed. The state’s deputy chief medical examiner subsequently determined Handrahan’s cause of death was homicide.
After 10 months of investigation, Witham-Jordan was arrested at his mother’s home in Edgecomb on Oct. 6. He is charged with intentional or knowing or depraved indifference murder. The state alleges he intentionally or knowingly caused the death of another person, and/or engaged in conduct that exhibited a depraved indifference to the value of human life; that conduct causing the death of another person.
According to the 33-page affidavit, filed by Maine State Police Detective James Moore on Oct. 5, the Lincoln County Communications Center received a 911 call at 7:37 a.m. on Dec. 25. Handrahan’s mother reported Handrahan was not breathing, cold to the touch, and “bruised and stiff.”
By the time law enforcement arrived on the scene, emergency medical service responders had already removed Handrahan from the home and transported her to LincolnHealth’s Miles Campus in Damariscotta. EMS responders told investigators they did not begin lifesaving care on the scene as it was obvious “the patient had been down for a while,” according to court documents.
During an autopsy Dec. 26, Maine Deputy Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Liam Funte determined the cause of death was “homicide caused by nonaccidental blunt force trauma.”
Funte identified bruises and abrasions on Handrahan’s lips, face, head, torso, arms, and legs; extensive internal bleeding in areas inside and outside her skull; in the muscles controlling her jaw; her abdomen; and in the soft tissue and muscles of her pelvis. The medical examiner also identified bruising in Handrahan’s stomach and lacerations of her pancreas and liver. Hair had been pulled out of Handrahan’s head, and her chin, nose, and right eye had severe rug burn-type abrasions.
“Dr. Funte reported that the injuries to Makinzlee’s abdomen alone would have caused death and the trauma to her head by itself would have also likely caused death within a couple of days,” Moore said in the affidavit.
In an interview with investigators Dec. 27, Funte said the injuries could all be from one acute incident Dec. 24 and could not have been inflicted by a child, as a child would not be strong enough to cause the damage.
In an interview with police of Dec. 25, Witham-Jordan said Handrahan had no bruises that he knew off before that day.
According to the affidavit, Maine State Police Sgt. Scott Bryant, who photographed Handrahan’s body at the Damariscotta hospital, reported bruises all over the body.
“Makinzlee appeared from my experience as though she were severely beaten,” Moore stated in the affidavit.
During a search of Handrahan’s room, police observed an adult-sized baseball hat and sunglasses wedged between the mattress and the wall. Witham-Jordan confirmed the items were his and, when asked how the items came to be there, said “the kids must have done it.”
During a search of the premises Dec. 25, detectives found blood in the upstairs bathroom and in Handrahan’s bedroom, including on Handrahan’s sheets and comforter, on tissue or toilet paper on the floor next to Handrahan’s bed, and on a pair of sweatpants found on the floor in the bedroom Witham-Jordan shared with Handrahan’s mother.
Blood was found throughout the bathroom, including in a diaper in a trash can and on a T-shirt and a towel, the latter of which was balled up and found near a pair of jeans on the floor. The jeans were found to have hypodermic needles and a tourniquet in the pockets. All of the blood was subsequently determined to belong to Handrahan, according to court documents.
The blood came from Handrahan’s mouth, transferred to her diapers then to her legs, indicating she was bleeding before the diapers came off, according to court documents. DNA swabs taken on the inside waistband of the diapers show evidence of DNA belonging to Handrahan, Witham-Jordan and an unidentified individual. The DNA mixture was not consistent with the profile of Handrahan’s mother.
A broken hair brush was also located in the bathroom, according to the affidavit. The handle was located on the floor and the hair brush was located in the trash can. The brush had matted hair attached to it that appeared similar to the Handrahan’s hair.
When interviewed by police, both adults said they traveled to Brunswick on Dec. 24 so Witham-Jordan could buy drugs at a Dunkin’. They returned home that afternoon.
Handrahan’s mother said she went to sleep at 1 p.m. and slept until 5 p.m. Witham-Jordan said Handrahan’s mother was up and active all afternoon, which was supported by a report from a neighbor and examination of her electronic devices.
When asked by investigators, Witham-Jordan said he did not know who the blood in the bathroom belonged to. He admitted owning the jeans and the hypodermic needles found on the floor. He told investigators he “still uses heroin sometimes,” according to court documents.
Witham-Jordan said he put Handrahan to bed around 1 p.m., according to the affidavit. Handrahan was checked once on the video monitor around 10 p.m. Both Witham-Jordan and Handrahan’s mother said Handrahan was not potty trained and still wore diapers.
Based on the available evidence and interviews, Moore speculates in the affidavit that Witham-Jordan was going through opioid withdrawal-induced sickness and did not sleep the night of Dec. 23-24. The morning of Dec. 24, Witham-Jordan’s first priority was to obtain heroin/fentanyl, and the adults and three children made a trip to a Dunkin’ in Brunswick for him to do so.
Moore alleges in the court documents that Witham-Jordan had not slept the night of Dec. 23-24, and was going through opioid withdrawal while he was tasked for caring for the children, which included giving Handrahan a bath.
“Physical evidence and the scene give the appearance that the fatal physical assault on Makinzlee Handrahan started in the bathroom,” Moore said in the affidavit. “During the assault Makinzlee’s hair was torn from her head and the hairbrush was broken … It appears Makinzlee was dragged down the hall into her bedroom causing the deep rug burns on her chin, eye, and nose.”
Moore said it appears Witham-Jordan put Handrahan to bed, wiping her mouth with the tissue found on the floor and losing his hat and sunglasses in the bed during the process.
Witham-Jordan’s child, who shared a room with Handrahan, told police Handrahan went to bed at her usual time on Dec. 24. The child reported they woke up sometime during the night because the bedroom was freezing cold and noticed the window was open and a box fan in the window had been turned onto its highest setting.
Witham-Jordan’s child told detectives they got up and closed the window, opened the bedroom door, and then went back to bed. The child said they were surprised to see Handrahan did not wake up because she only had one blanket.
In court Oct. 12, defense attorney James Howaniec reported Witham-Jordan lost custody of his child as a result of the publicity surrounding the case, although he has been allowed supervised visits.
Howaniec acknowledged the facts of the case were troubling, but asserted the circumstances suggest a lesser charge would be more appropriate than murder. However, Howaniec said, the state does not even meet the low standard of probable cause to justify the charge against Witham-Jordan.
“He did not do the crime,” Howaniec said. “The police have arrested the wrong person.”
Arguing for a lowered bail amount, Howaniec said Witham-Jordan posed no flight risk and his family did not have substantial financial resources. The family might be able to raise $10,000-$15,000 cash, but $250,000 was out of the question, Howaniec said. Instead he listed several possible properties that might be offered as collateral.
Howaniec said Witham-Jordan’s mother could provide adequate supervision upon his release. Witham-Jordan had been staying at his mother’s house since Christmas Day and had hardly left the house until he was arrested.
Witham-Jordan may suffer from depression and anxiety, but he had never been known to be violent, Howaniec said. Howaniec acknowledged his client has suffered from drug dependency in the past, but said he was off drugs before moving in with Handrahan’s mother 6-8 months before Handrahan’s death.
Saying he had spent quite a bit a time around Witham-Jordan, Howaniec said he and co-counsel Jesse Archer had a positive impression of their client.
“He is a very likable young man,” Howaniec said. “Jesse and I are very fond of him. Your Honor, the kid is innocent.”
In response, Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Ackerman said the bail was appropriate given the specifics of the case, which involve the “brutal beating of a 3-year-old resulting in her death.”
Making the case for a high bail, Ackerman said the state felt it was appropriate given the circumstances, that the figure was in line with legal precedent, and the high stakes conviction poses for Witham-Jordan.
As of Tuesday, Oct. 17, no court dates have been scheduled for the case, according to Maine Attorney General’s Office spokesperson Danna Hayes.
