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Woman discovers slain cop in her yard, realizes she helped raise fugitive suspect

Manhunt for man accused of killing deputy
Nationwide manhunt underway for man accused of killing Maine deputy 01:41

NORRIDGEWOCK, Maine -- The woman who found the body of Somerset County Sheriff's Corporal Eugene Cole says she practically raised the man accused of killing him, reports CBS affiliate WGME. A nationwide manhunt was continuing Friday for John Williams, 29.

The station spoke to Kimberly Sirois, who says she woke up Wednesday morning to news that classes at the local elementary school where she works were canceled. 

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Somerset County Cpl. Eugene Cole, left, and murder suspect John Williams WGME

She then heard a helicopter above, and when she went outside to see what was going on, she found an officer's body lying in her yard.

It was Corporal Cole. She said she screamed to a group of officers who were at the fire department nearby.

"I said, 'Hey, I found your officer. He's in my yard,' and then they all came running over and put us in the house," Sirois said.

Sirois says while she was being interviewed by Maine State Police, she realized the man wanted for killing the officer was someone she took into her home.

According to Sirois, Williams moved in with her and her family his freshman year of high school and lived with them through school. She told the station that Williams moved back in in September 2017 but she asked him to leave this past winter.

"He was struggling when he was here and because I had children living in the house, it just wasn't a good living situation," Sirois said.

She says she's can't believe he could do something like this and has no idea of a possible motive.

"I don't have any answers. I don't know where he is. I don't know where he would've gone," Sirois said. "I do hope he's found and hope he's found alive because if not, I not only have to mourn the loss of the officer, I have to mourn the loss of my child."

She says her house has been searched twice.

She had officers search it again Thursday, hoping he maybe was hiding somewhere.

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