The first of two people charged with allegedly stabbing and robbing a homeless man in June before leaving him injured and stranded in the Belfast woods pleaded not guilty to multiple charges on Tuesday.
Isabella Noui, 19, from Fitchburg, Mass., entered her pleas via Zoom from Two Bridges Jail in a hearing with Justice Robert Murray in Waldo County Superior Court Tuesday morning.
Justin Wilmot, 20, is also charged in the incident and is scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday afternoon.
Both Wilmot and Noui face several felony charges, including attempted murder, armed robbery, elevated aggravated assault and aggravated assault. They are also both charged with falsifying physical evidence and theft.
Noui is represented by attorney Caitlin Smith, who also appeared remotely for the hearing.
Justice Daniel Billings set bail at $80,000 for each defendant during their first court appearance last month.
The alleged attack took place around Monday, June 11, at an encampment behind the Belfast Renys, police said. Dustin Curtis, 45, arrived at Waldo County General Hospital on the morning of Tuesday, June 12 with multiple stab wounds, according to police. He was later taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland for additional treatment.
Curtis identified Wilmot and Noui as his alleged attackers.
He said he met the couple at the Belfast Soup Kitchen and that they had been staying with him at his encampment after arriving in Maine roughly two weeks earlier, according to an affidavit by Belfast Police Sgt. Jennifer Weaver. Curtis told police Wilmot grabbed him from behind and stabbed him repeatedly late Sunday night or early Monday morning, the affidavit said.
Noui and Wilmot told authorities that Curtis made sexual comments about Noui. Wilmot also said that Noui “challenged his manhood” for not immediately retaliating over the comments, according to the affidavit.
Belfast detectives found and arrested the couple on Wednesday, June 14, following questioning and the recovery of Curtis’ property.
Noui will next appear in court on Sept. 12.