In the quiet town of Windham, Maine, a sunny Friday afternoon was shattered by a sudden and senseless act of violence that left a community reeling. On August 15, 2025, at approximately 1:55 p.m., the intersection of Roosevelt Trail (Route 302) and Landing Road became the scene of a horrific shooting that claimed the life of Erin Hayne, a 33-year-old motorcyclist from Casco. The suspected gunman, identified as 48-year-old James Ford of Windham, was later found dead, leaving investigators grappling with questions about the motive behind this seemingly random act.
The incident unfolded in broad daylight, as witnesses watched in horror. Hayne, riding a blue motorcycle, was gunned down when a silver sedan pulled alongside him. From within the vehicle, Ford allegedly pointed a firearm and fired multiple shots, striking Hayne with deadly precision. Despite the valiant efforts of bystanders and a Maine Game Warden who happened to be nearby, life-saving measures could not revive Hayne. Medical personnel from the Windham Fire Department pronounced him dead at the scene, his body lying in the middle of Route 302—a stark image that would haunt onlookers.
Julia Hebert, a witness to the tragedy, recounted the chilling moment from her car. “From what I could see, the person was in a moving vehicle,” she said, her voice heavy with the weight of the memory. “It was a pretty traumatic experience, and my heart goes out to the victim’s family.” Her words echo the shock felt across Windham, a town unaccustomed to such violence.
As the shooter’s vehicle sped away toward Raymond, a group of witnesses in a U-Haul truck sprang into action, tailing the suspect while relaying critical details to 911 dispatchers. Their quick thinking provided police with the license plate number, though they eventually lost sight of the sedan near the Raymond-Windham town line. The information proved vital, leading Cumberland County Sheriff’s deputies to locate the abandoned vehicle behind a Dunkin’ on Route 302 in Raymond. The car was empty, but the discovery set the stage for a tense manhunt.
The Maine State Police Tactical Team, aided by a K9 unit, scoured the wooded terrain near the Dunkin’. Their search ended with the grim discovery of James Ford’s body, marked by a single, self-inflicted gunshot wound. Autopsies conducted on August 16 confirmed the devastating toll: Hayne’s death was ruled a homicide, caused by multiple gunshot wounds, while Ford’s was declared a suicide. Authorities revealed that Ford had left his Windham apartment alone shortly before the shooting, with no known connection to Hayne—a detail that deepens the mystery of his actions.
The shooting sent shockwaves through the community, prompting a swift and robust response from law enforcement. Route 302 was closed for nearly six hours as the Maine State Police Evidence Response Team meticulously documented the scene. A shelter-in-place order was issued just after 4 p.m., casting a net over Windham and parts of Raymond, from Whites Bridge Road to Route 85. Local businesses, including Lowe’s, Walmart, and McDonald’s, went into lockdown, and residents were urged to secure their homes and report any suspicious activity. A statewide alert, mistakenly sent through the Maine Emergency Management Agency, heightened the sense of urgency, though officials later clarified it was intended only for the immediate area.
By 7 p.m., the shelter-in-place order was lifted, and Windham Police Chief Kevin Schofield and Maine State Police Major Lucas Hare addressed a shaken public at a press conference held at the Windham Central Fire Station. While they confirmed the suspect had been “located,” they initially withheld details about Ford’s death to allow time for identification and family notifications. The collaborative effort of multiple agencies—Windham Police, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, Maine Warden Service, and Maine Forestry Service—brought a measure of closure, but questions lingered.
The investigation, led by the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit South, remains active as authorities piece together the events leading to this tragedy. No motive has been established, and the apparent lack of connection between Hayne and Ford suggests a random act that has left both investigators and residents searching for answers. Police are appealing to the public for help, urging anyone who was on Route 302 at the time of the shooting to share any video footage or information that could shed light on the incident.
As Windham grapples with the aftermath, the loss of Erin Hayne—a man in the prime of his life—casts a long shadow. The community mourns, united in grief and resilience, while the search for understanding continues in the wake of an act that defies reason.