Crime
James Davis III fired AK-47 at traffic after killing mother in Sabattus
Authorities in Maine have released additional details regarding the tragic Sabattus shooting that left three people dead and two others injured on the afternoon of Wednesday, April 2, 2025.
29-year-old James Davis III, a resident of Sabattus, has been identified as the gunman.
According to Maine State Police Colonel William Ross, Davis was experiencing a mental health crisis before the incident, which resulted in the deaths of his 47-year-old mother, Christine Smith, and 53-year-old Katherine Williams, a local school employee.
Davis lived with his mother on Dube Drive, located less than a mile from where the shooting occurred.
Authorities say he had a sporadic work history, did not have a driverโs license, and was primarily cared for by his mother.
On the morning of the shooting, Smith drove Davis to his fatherโs home on Birchwood Drive, where he spent most of the day with his father and grandmother.
Family members reported that Davis began acting erratically, speaking incoherently, and displaying signs of mental distress.
Relatives attempted to contact Smith throughout the day, as she was often able to calm him down.
Later, Davisโ father arranged for him to meet with his mother, hoping it would help stabilize his behavior.
Investigators revealed that Davis was in possession of a .357 revolver and an AK-47 rifle when he arrived at his fatherโs home. After the shooting, additional firearms were recovered from the residence.
Authorities confirmed that Davis carried both weapons into his fatherโs vehicle when he was driven to meet his mother. When he switched to her car, he took the firearms with him.
Despite Davisโ troubling behavior earlier in the day, there was no indication that family members attempted to remove his firearms or contact law enforcement before the tragedy unfolded.
At approximately 4:15 p.m., Smith was driving Davis home on King Road, approaching the intersection of Middle Road (Route 9), when Davis shot her with the .357 revolver.
Smith was killed instantly, and the vehicle veered off the road, coming to a stop on the front lawn of a nearby home near the Lisbon town line.
Davis then exited the vehicle with the AK-47 and began firing indiscriminately at passing cars.
Three drivers were struck by gunfire:
- Katherine Williams, 53, of Sabattus โ Fatally wounded. Her vehicle crashed into a nearby home. She was transported to Central Maine Medical Center (CMCC) in Lewiston, where she was pronounced dead.
- Tyson Turner, 19, of Jay โ Shot while driving. Transported to CMCC with non-life-threatening injuries and later released.
- David Wilson, 35, of Hartford โ Also struck by gunfire. Transported to CMCC with non-life-threatening injuries and later released.
After firing multiple rounds into traffic, Davis turned the AK-47 on himself, dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Police confirmed that the entire incident unfolded within a matter of minutes.
Williams, affectionately known as โKay,โ was a beloved employee of Regional School Unit 4.
She served as the food service manager at Carrie Ricker School and Libby Tozier School in Litchfield.
In a letter to families, Superintendent Katy Grondin expressed the school communityโs grief:
โThere is no question that her death will have an impact on all of us, as Kay was a beloved member of the RSU 4 community. Our thoughts are with her family as they begin to process this loss.โ
Authorities do not believe Davis knew any of the passing drivers he shot at, indicating the attack was random.
While police are still investigating Davis’ history of drug use, an initial search did not uncover any drugs, and his family did not report any signs of substance abuse.
An autopsy will determine whether he had any substances in his system at the time of the shooting.
Col. Ross acknowledged the rarity of such incidents, though he referenced a similar mass shooting in Bowdoin, Maine, as another recent act of violence.
The Maine State Police, Sabattus Police Department, Lisbon Police Department, and Androscoggin County Sheriffโs Office continue to investigate the tragedy.
Further details will be released as they become available.
Crime
Noemi Hernandez, Mother of Four Murdered By Her Husband Hector Luvianos Two Days Before Christmas
BATAVIA, Ill. โ A devastating domestic homicide has left a family and community in mourning just days before Christmas.
Noemi Hernandez, a devoted mother of four, was fatally attacked in the early morning hours of Tuesday, Dec. 23, in what prosecutors allege was a violent act committed by her husband.
The incident occurred at an apartment building in the 100 block of Church Street in Batavia.
According to court records and police reports, at approximately 4:37 a.m., Batavia police were dispatched after a man contacted emergency dispatchers and stated that he had killed his wife.
Responding officers located the man outside the apartment building and took him into custody without incident.
When officers entered the apartment, they found Hernandez suffering from severe, life-threatening injuries.
First responders immediately attempted life-saving measures; however, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities identified the suspect as Hector B. Luvianos, 37, who was transported to the Batavia Police Department for questioning.
With assistance from the Kane County Major Crimes Task Force, investigators determined the incident was domestic-related and involved only the two individuals. Police emphasized that there is no ongoing threat to the public.
On Dec. 24, 2025, Kane County Stateโs Attorney Jamie L. Mosser and Batavia Police Chief Eric Blowers announced that Luvianos has been formally charged with first-degree murder, a Class M felony under Illinois law.
He appeared in court the same day for a pretrial detention hearing, after which a judge ordered him held in the Kane County Jail while the case proceeds.
The Kane County Coronerโs Office responded to the scene, and an autopsy is scheduled to determine the official cause and manner of Hernandezโs death.
In the wake of the tragedy, Hernandezโs family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral and related expenses.
In the fundraiser, the family described Noemi as โthe heart of her family,โ noting that she worked tirelessly, loved deeply, and always placed her children first. Her sudden death, they wrote, has left the family emotionally devastated and financially unprepared.
As an immigrant family with limited resources and no life insurance, they now face the burden of funeral and cremation costs, legal fees, and other unexpected expenses, all while supporting four children grieving the loss of their mother.
The family is asking for community support to allow them to lay Noemi to rest with dignity and focus on healing rather than financial hardship.
The investigation remains ongoing.