Maine Cold Case Murder Arrest Made Nearly 40 Years Later

Nearly four decades after the killing of a Westbrook woman, Maine State Police have made an arrest in the case.

Police say 63-year-old Stephen Bouchard of Winslow was arrested Friday afternoon and charged with murder in connection with the 1987 death of Alice Hawkes. According to investigators, Bouchard was Hawkes’ live-in boyfriend at the time of her death.

Hawkes was found dead on October 4, 1987, inside the Westbrook apartment the couple shared. Authorities quickly ruled the death a homicide, and detectives from both Maine State Police and the Westbrook Police Department launched an extensive investigation. Despite those efforts, the case eventually went cold.

Over the years, investigators continued reviewing evidence and leads connected to the homicide. In 2025, detectives with the State Police Major Crimes Unit-Unsolved reopened the case for a full reinvestigation. Officials say new investigative work ultimately led the Maine Attorney General’s Office to pursue a murder charge against Bouchard.

A Cumberland County Grand Jury handed down an indictment on Thursday, May 7, and Bouchard was arrested the following day in Winslow by detectives with the Major Crimes Unit.

Following his arrest, Bouchard was transported to the Cumberland County Jail, where he is expected to be arraigned in the near future.

State Police are still asking anyone with information connected to the death of Alice Hawkes to contact the Major Crimes Unit at 207-657-5710.