By Dominik Lobkowicz
The door of a trailer at 219 Neck Rd. in Jefferson is sealed shut with evidence tape. (Greg Latimer photo) |
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Human remains discovered at 219 Neck Road in Jefferson on August 27 are believed to be those of Charles E. Woodburn. |
The stepson of a Jefferson man the Maine State Police believe may be the victim of a homicide says he reported the location of the man’s body to the authorities as early as 2010.
The Maine State Police criminal investigation unit excavated human remains at 219 Neck Rd. in Jefferson Aug. 27.
The remains are believed to be Charles E. “Chuck” Woodburn, who was last seen alive in 2002, according to Steve McCausland, spokesperson for the Department of Public
Safety. McCausland said the State Medical Examiner’s Office has reported that the individual was a victim of a homicide.
Woodburn was married to Diane Darling Woodburn, who died Aug. 17, 2010. “As far as we know, she never reported him missing,” McCausland said.
Diane’s son Brian Darling, now an Iowa resident and a stepson of Woodburn’s, spoke with The Lincoln County News Sept. 3.
According to Darling, it was around the time he got married in 2004 Diane mentioned Charles Woodburn “was just gone,” leaving his truck, wallet, cash – everything.
Diane Woodburn later married Robert Gaudette and they resided at the 219 Neck Rd. property.
According to Darling, after Diane’s death Gaudette allegedly told him the location of Woodburn’s buried body: by a building on the Neck Road property that used to be a garage when Darling was growing up.
“Bob said that the body was over by those concrete steps in front of that garage,” Darling alleged.
A number of attempts to reach Gaudette for comment on the allegation – personally, electronically, and through family members and acquaintances – were unsuccessful as of this posting.
Darling said he and his brother reported the information Gaudette allegedly shared to the Maine State Police back in 2010, but he never received a call back. “I don’t know if it’s because I’m out of state, or what,” he said.
According to the state police website, Charles Woodburn was reported missing by a former stepson on Sept. 2, 2010, 16 days after Diane’s death.
“We honestly thought nothing was going to happen,” Darling said. “It’s been four years since we reported it.”
Reached Sept. 3, McCausland said he did not have any more specific information to release other than what has already been shared with the media.
“At this point the details are probably it, are it for the time being until we’ve proceeded a little further in this case,” McCausland said.
