PERU — A 46-year-old Peru man died during a hours-long standoff with police Saturday afternoon after authorities served search and arrest warrants related to sexual assault charges.
The Oxford County Sheriff’s Office obtained the warrants as part of an ongoing sexual assault investigation, according to a statement from Sheriff Christopher Wainwright.
The search warrant targeted a residence on Auburn Road for evidence related to sex offenses, while the arrest warrant charged the man with gross sexual assault and unlawful sexual contact.
At approximately 3:30 p.m., the Maine State Police Tactical Team assisted the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office in executing the high-risk search warrant.
The suspect refused to surrender peacefully, leading to hours of negotiations aimed at ending the incident without violence.
During the standoff, the man was alone inside the residence and doused it with gasoline, threatened to burn the house down and threatened suicide.
After several hours of unsuccessful negotiations, law enforcement entered the residence and found the suspect deceased.
Route 108 was closed for several hours during the incident.
Officials said there were no public safety concerns as the suspect remained contained inside his residence.
The Peru Fire Department and local rescue services assisted during the event, and no one else was injured.
The Medical Examiner’s Office, Attorney General’s Office and the man’s family have been notified.
The investigation remains ongoing, and the identity of the deceased may be released at a later date pending further investigation.
