Who is Dennis Dechaine?

In her own words, from wife, Nancy, Trial testimony regarding her knowledge of Dennis and his character:[Responding to question, "When were you born?"] "1955" [making her about two years older than Dennis] [I first met Dennis in] "my first year of college…..[at] Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington…. I was in a registration line and he saw that I had a class that he had and he started a conversation about that……

[Responding to question, "At first did you become friendly before you became intimate?] "Absolutely."

[Responding to question, "How long did you know him before you became intimate?"] "It's hard to say. A year…. That was my sophomore year… [and Dennis was in his sophomore year as well, studying agriculture business]

[Responding to question, "When were you married?"] "1983, in September… In Colorado Springs, Colorado [after their graduation from college, together]

[After graduation, they moved to Bowdoinham, Maine and lived] "on the Christopher Sheep Farm. We were working for Mr. Christopher….. they raised sheep and produced wool….. I worked in the wool room packing wool and helped out the lambing. Dennis did mostly fencing and chores with the sheep. We also were a team of bleeders. We bled the sheep for laboratory analysis….

What we would start of with is sterilized equipment. We would place a needle in the animal's jugular and bleed it into sterilized jars. We both came to the point where it was too difficult to do with the animals. The thought of the animals being killed was difficult for both of us. Sometimes the animals' skin is very tough. Putting the needle into the skin you can pierce the skin and go out the jugular and cause a hematoma. It was just too hard on the animal. He [Dennis] couldn't handle it….. He would get distraught. He would check the animal afterward to see if it was all right…

"We raised a lot of animals [at their own farm, they called Bass Wood, purchased] "about a year ago [October, 1987].

[The farmhouse used wood heat and the wood] "came from a mill down the road. It came in ten-foot lengths, and Dennis chainsawed it and chopped it….. [Then] we started a business of our own… Multi-faceted. We did row cropping, growing vegetables, selling it to retail outlets. We had greenhouses. We basically raised the animals. We had a mailorder Christmas tree business, and we featured a gift package of a wreath and maple syrup and jelly, which we started as a mailorder business…. [started] "probably 1984. … We started out making wreaths and jams and before we finished we had wreath machines and a crew….

[Responding to question, "How many employees did you have at the time the business came to a halt"] "Five, I believe."

[Responding to question, "Who was in charge of the book end of things?"] "We shared."

[Responding to question, "Who was in charge of procuring the employees and the day-to-day logistics?"] "Dennis".

[Responding to question, "How was the business doing up until July 6, 1988?"] "It was doing very well."

[Responding to question, "During the period of early 1988 up through the summer, were there any major financial difficulties that you and Dennis were undergoing at the time?] "No….."

We decided to give up the produce end of things because it was difficult dealing with perishable goods. We were making plans to expand on line the wreath business…..

We purchased a commercial greenhouse and we were going to be putting that up in the summer. [and then she described the first and second greenhouses constructed at the farm, both for the raising of flowers.]

[Nancy then described the farm stand she and Dennis operated for three years on the Old Bath Road in Brunswick, called by the trade name, "Paul's Produce and Greenhouse", as the farm stand had a greenhouse, as well.]

[Responding to question, "And that was successful?"] "It was successful. It was very hard work."

[Responding to question, "And in July of 1988 it's fair to say you no longer had a produce stand?"] "That's correct…. Dennis and I decided for the amount of work it took to carry out the produce business until Halloween or the amount of money that we made from it that we no longer wanted to do that, and searched for another farm family of some sort to take it over. The Swango Farm in Woolwich [run by James and Joan Economeau] took it over. [and the transfer of the lease took place in the last week of June 1988.]

[Responding to question, "During the period of July, late June early July, 1988, were there any difficulties in your marital relationship between yourself and Dennis? Were there any pressures or anything like that?] "None."

[Responding to question, "In the early part of July, 1988 did you and Dennis take a trip together?"] "Yes….. To Madawaska… Northernmost town in the state…Fourth of July celebration with his family.. We went up on a Friday, but I don't recall the date. It was the Friday prior to the Fourth. I believe the Fourth was on a Monday. .. We took my car. It was a celebration. It was wonderful. Beautiful [weather]… Dennis and I canoed a chain of lakes, we water skied, walked and swam."

[Responding to question, "And do you recall when you returned from Madawaska?"] "Tuesday night. We were there the Fourth and we started back the morning of the 5th and got back in the evening. It's a long drive. ….

[Responding to question, "Without saying anything that Dennis said, what was his attitude upon returning home?"] "His attitude was getting back into setting the greenhouse up."

[Nancy then described her own job as a land surveyor's apprentice, since February, 1988.] "I was looking for a trade. Something to put under my belt with some money potential."

[Responding to question, "And on the morning of the 6th, do you remember getting up that morning?"] "Yes…..I work from seven until three…"

[Responding to question, "When you get up at 5:30 and do the animals what do you do?"] "Water and feed them and make sure there are all right…. Sheep, goats, chickens, rabbits, geese and ducks.