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Man Charged In Maine Deputy's Murder Faces Judge, Held Without Bail

NORRIDGEWOCK, Maine (CBS/AP) — A man accused of killing a sheriff's deputy in Maine has been ordered held without bail.

John Williams, 29, stared ahead and quietly answered a judge's questions during his initial court appearance on a murder charge Monday in Augusta, Maine. He has been held in the state's maximum-security prison since his arrest Saturday, the fourth day of a massive manhunt.

john williams
John Williams in court on April 30, 2018. (CBS News)

Williams is charged with killing Somerset County Cpl. Eugene Cole, 61, early Wednesday after the two had an encounter on a darkened road in Norridgewock.

Helicopters, tactical vehicles and rifle-toting law enforcement officers poured into the region, putting residents on edge, but that gave way to relief when Williams was taken into custody outside a remote cabin.

Shirtless and shoeless when captured, Williams appeared to be exhausted when he was led out of the woods.

John Williams Captured
John Williams was taken into custody after a 4-day manhunt, April 28. (Image Credit: Maine State Police)

Cole's brother, Tom Cole, said that people were honking their car horns as they drove by his house on Saturday.

"The whole town was celebrating with me," he told WMTW-TV.

During the manhunt, area residents were discouraged from holding any sort of public memorial because law enforcement didn't want any mass gatherings.

Cpl. Eugene Cole
Cpl. Eugene Cole. (Image Credit: Augusta Police)

Tom Cole said the grieving for his brother can start now that Williams is in custody. Eugene Cole's funeral will be May 7 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.

Williams was not required to enter a plea during Monday's brief hearing in which the judge ordered a mental health examination.

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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