In the picturesque seaside town of Camden, Maine , an eerie murder mystery is unfolding, only it's not people who are the victims; it's actually trees.
These trees, which served as a barrier to a wealthy couple's otherwise unencumbered view of the ocean, were allegedly poisoned by the politically connected pair to secure a million-dollar vista of Camden Harbor. The incident was brought to light by Lisa Gorman, wife of the late LL Bean president Leon Gorman, who claims her neighbors Amelia Bond and Arthur Bond III used herbicide to poison oak trees on her property without her permission back in 2021.
But the story takes a darker twist: the poison meant for the trees seeped into a nearby park and even infected the town's sole public seaside beach , prompting an investigation by the state attorney general. "Anybody dumb enough to poison trees right next to the ocean should be prosecuted, as far as I'm concerned," expressed Paul Hodgson, voicing the sentiments of many disgruntled residents in Camden, an enticing oceanside settlement of 5,000, nestled at the foot of the mountains that crest from the Atlantic Ocean.
READ MORE: Girl, 3, died in blisteringly hot car after distracted dad forgot she was buckled in seat on driveway
READ MORE: Chilling map reveals worst US states for water sickness with top spot seeing hundreds of cases
The harbor, adorned with lobster boats, yachts, and schooners, stands as an epitome of idyllic beauty. But in a story that could easily be mistaken for a made-for-TV drama, a wealthy couple from out of state, a member of the esteemed L. L. Bean family playing detective, and a potent chemical used in a notorious football rivalry all come together in this quaint village setting.
Amelia, the former CEO of the St. Louis Foundation, which manages charitable funds exceeding $500 million, is said to have brought the herbicide from Missouri in 2021. She then allegedly applied it near oak trees on the waterfront property of Lisa, according to a pair of consent agreements with the town and the state pesticide board.
Amelia's husband Arthur is an architect and the nephew of former US Sen. Kit Bond. Their summer home, owned by a trust, is located directly behind Lisa's home, further up the hill.
When the trees and other vegetation started dying, Amelia reportedly told Lisa in June 2022 that the trees didn't look good and offered to split the cost of removing them, according to a document written by Lisa's lawyer.
However, Lisa decided to have the trees tested instead. Before long, lawyers were involved. The Bond's home now boasts an improved harbor view, but at a cost of over $1.7 million in fines and settlements.
The trees are gone, but the chemical used has seeped into a neighboring park and beach. This means the Bonds may face further monitoring and remediation. Maine's attorney general has also agreed to further investigate the incident.
The herbicide used, Tebuthiuron, is the same one that an irate Alabama football fan used in 2010 to kill the Toomer's Corner oak trees at Auburn University after a loss to their archrival. This act landed Harvey Updyke, who admitted to poisoning the trees, in jail.
Tebuthiuron contaminates soil and doesn't degrade, continuing to kill plants. At Auburn University, it took the removal of about 1,780 tons (1,615 metric tons) of contaminated material to reduce the chemical levels in the soil to negligible amounts.
Apart from removing the soil, the only other solution is dilution - waiting for nature to thin out the herbicide's concentration to safe levels for plants. It could take between six months to two years for the herbicide to be diluted enough to no longer pose a threat to plants, according to Scott McElroy, an Auburn professor specializing in weed science and herbicide chemistry.
Meanwhile, in Maine, Tom Hedstrom, chair of the Select Board, said his job usually involves finding consensus on how to handle sensitive political matters. However, this time there's no need for consensus as residents are united in their anger.
Hedstrom expressed his disgust at the situation, stating: "Wealth and power don't always go hand in hand with intelligence, education and morals. This was atrocious and gross and any other word you want to use to describe abhorrent behavior."
The Bonds have faced consequences for their actions, as outlined in the consent agreements. They paid $4,500 to settle Maine Board of Pesticides Control Board violations for unauthorized use of an herbicide that was applied incorrectly and not permitted for residential use.
They also paid $180,000 to resolve violations with the town and another $30,000 for additional environmental testing, according to documents. Furthermore, they paid over $1.5 million to Lisa in a legal settlement, as stated in a memo from Jeremy Martin, the town's planning and development director.
The Bonds' lawyer said they had no comment but noted that they "continue to take the allegations against them seriously. They continue to cooperate with the town of Camden, state of Maine and the Gormans, as they have done over the last two years."
Lisa's lawyer declined to comment. Rep. Vicki Doudera, D-Camden, plans to address the $4,500 maximum fine that the Maine Board of Pesticide Control Board was allowed to assess. She is considering a sliding scale that takes into account the extent of damage and intent.
"It makes me so livid," Doudera expressed, outraged by the light repercussions she anticipated for the couple. "This situation, the minute I heard about it, I thought, 'Wow! These people are going to get a slap on the wrist. That's just not right."
In the quiet of the afternoon, the Bond's home stood empty, while nearby, locals strolled with their dogs along Laite Memorial Beach, where traces of the tree-killing herbicide have been found in the water, posing a threat to aquatic life. Camden local Dwight Johnson didn't mince words, calling Amelia Bond's deceitful offer to split the cost of tree removal after poisoning them "underhanded".
Town resident Lynn Harrington also chimed in, wondering how the Bonds could even consider showing their faces around town after such an act, especially since they were once part of the Camden Yacht Club scene. The incident has reignited the old narrative of affluent summer visitors, or "from away" as Mainers say, bulldozing the rights of the year-round locals.
Yet, not everyone is quick to point fingers at the seasonal residents. Hodgson pointed out that Camden has its share of rule-breakers among the locals too, noting that some well-off, permanent residents have also illegally felled trees, simply shrugging off the fines as a cost of doing what they want.
He highlighted the irony in a town where the median income hovers around $93,000 - quite high for Maine, which is considered the poorest state in New England. "They just pay the fine because they have plenty of money," Hodgson remarked, painting a picture of the community's dynamics.
Local Maine State
Most Popular
Comments / 0