Overview
- A Penobscot County jury found Richard Thorpe guilty of depraved indifference murder on Monday after about an hour of deliberation.
- Prosecutors presented forensic evidence that Thorpe’s DNA was on the HDMI cord tied around Virginia Cookson’s neck and placed his car at her home.
- Witnesses and prosecutors described Cookson as fearful of Thorpe in the weeks before her death in Sept. 2024, prompting family check‑ins and welfare calls.
- Defense lawyers highlighted investigative gaps, including an untested cracked phone and unverified store purchases, and said they will seek a full forensic psychiatric evaluation before sentencing.
- Thorpe is held in the Penobscot County Jail pending a Sept. 1, 2026 sentencing when victim impact statements are expected to be heard.