PAW PAW (WKZO-AM) — State Police claim the shooting death of a Hartford man on Friday was triggered by a drug deal gone bad and the teen they have arrested for the crime claims it was self-defense.
Lt. Dale Hinz says 19-year-old Thurman Fletcher Jr. of Bangor and 28-year-old Eddie “EJ” Holland of Hartford met at Lions Park in Bangor Friday evening for an illegal drug deal.
They first found out about the shooting when Holland rolled into Lakeland Hospital with multiple gun wounds and died. Fletcher came onto their radar when he appeared at South Haven Hospital with a gunshot wound to the right leg and foot.
Police are skeptical about Fletcher’s self-defense story, saying he initially claimed he wounded himself squirrel hunting.
Then he claims they got into a fight and tells police only killed Holland after he was shot first.
Fletcher is being held without bond.
