Donna Loring: Murder of Passamaquoddy elder deserves investigation

November 14, 2015 marked the Fiftieth Anniversary of the beating death of Peter Francis a Passamaquoddy elder and World War II Veteran. Peter’s family and the Passamaquoddy tribe believe he died at the hands of five white men from Billerica Massachusetts. James Ellinwood 26 years old, William Robbins 30 Years old (He died in 2009), Hugh ONeil 25 years old, Romelo Capobianco 23 years old and Daniel Frobrese 23 years old, all former football players from High School.

They walked into the home of 72 year old former Governor George Francis where Peter Francis his 58 year old brother was visiting from Connecticut and where girls ages 11,13,15 and 17 were studying for classes the next day. These men were not shy in letting George and Peter know what they wanted. They asked for women and assaulted Christy Altvater’s 8 year old son, Kirk by slapping him four times across the face.

Peter Francis was killed and his brother in law Christy Altvater was brutally beaten protecting the women from being raped by these men. Murder warrants were never served and only one of the men, James Ellinwood was charged with a low count of Manslaughter. No charges were ever brought against them for the brutal attack on Christy Altvater or his son Kirk. Ellinwood was tried for manslaughter three weeks later and found innocent by an all white jury to the cheers and applause of the Machias Maine Courtroom.