Judge convicts man in 1980 killing that baffled authorities
Philip Scott Fournier
Philip Scott Fournier  was charged in 2016 with killing 16-year-old Joyce McLain in East Millinocket in 1980. Superior Court Justice Ann Murray issued the verdict in a packed Bangor courtroom.
A defense lawyer said during final arguments earlier this month that "doubts will linger" over the case regardless whether  Fournier  was convicted. The defense also argued that  Fournier 's memories  which were central to the prosecution's case  were unreliable.
There was no physical evidence tying  Fournier  to the crime scene  which  his  attorney  Jeffrey Silverstein  has called unusual for a murder case. But prosecutors said  he  confessed numerous times over the years  and Murray said Thursday that she considered the confessions to be genuine.
 Fournier  was a person of interest in the case almost from the beginning. The case and trial were complicated by the fact that hours after McLain was last seen   Fournier  stole and crashed a fuel truck  suffering a serious head injury.
 His  defense has contended that  Fournier 's head injury affected  his  memory and played a role in the inconsistency of  his  many statements about McLain's death over the years. Murray asserted that  Fournier  had recovered from the injury after several months.
 Fournier  waived  his  right to a jury trial  leaving Murray to make the decision. Sentencing was not immediately scheduled.
[TGT] was charged in 2016 with killing 16-year-old Joyce McLain in East Millinocket in 1980. Superior Court Justice Ann Murray issued the verdict in a packed Bangor courtroom.
A defense lawyer said during final arguments earlier this month that "doubts will linger" over the case regardless whether   [TGT] was convicted. The defense also argued that  Fournier 's memories  which were central to the prosecution's case  were unreliable.
There was no physical evidence tying   [TGT] . But prosecutors said   [TGT]   confessed numerous times over the years  and Murray said Thursday that she considered the confessions to be genuine.
  [TGT] was a person of interest in the case almost from the beginning. The case and trial were complicated by the fact that hours after McLain was last seen    [TGT]   stole and crashed a fuel truck  suffering a serious head injury.
  [TGT]   defense has contended that   [TGT]  's head injury affected   [TGT]   memory and played a role in the inconsistency of   [TGT]   many statements about McLain's death over the years. Murray asserted that   [TGT] had recovered from the injury after several months.
  [TGT] waived   [TGT]   right to a jury trial  leaving Murray to make the decision. Sentencing was not immediately scheduled.