FARMINGTON — Maine State Police continue to investigate a double homicide that occurred in December 2023 at Pawsitive Dog Kennel at 274 Red Schoolhouse Road.
A visitor found the bodies of mother, Jean Robinson, 76, and daughter, Allison “Joy” Cumming, 53, deceased at the kennel at about 10:45 a.m. on Dec. 27, 2023. The pair lived in a separate building on the property. Joy Cumming ran the business.
The cause of death has not been released.
“There is not an update at this time,” Shannon Moss, public information officer for the Maine Department of Public Safety, wrote in an email Monday. She will send out a release when there is more information is available, she said.
People posting on Facebook in different groups have voiced concerns about how little information has been released on the case.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the manner of death is homicide for both the mother and daughter. Police have said there is no danger to the public in this case.
“Every death and/or homicide investigation is complex and presents its own unique set of challenges,” Moss wrote. “Sometimes these investigations can take days, weeks, months or sometimes years. Frankly the public’s desire to know the facts surrounding what happened does not dictate when information is released. The investigation dictates that. Detectives, Evidence Response Technicians and Prosecutors have one shot at a case and that’s why they are diligent and methodical in their work. The goal is justice for the victims.
“Last year, we had a record number of homicides with a remarkable 98% clearance rate. These Detectives are buried, they have worked around the clock, on holidays, away from their families, and frankly they deserve grace and praise for their efforts,” Moss wrote.
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less