A three-decade-old Portland cold case has finally been solved.
Maude Holden, 73, died on Oct. 27, 1994, after a fire at her Washington Avenue apartment building, according to Brad Nadeau, a spokesperson for the Portland Police Department.
The fire was ruled an arson.
Nadeau announced Thursday morning that detectives identified Viki McMahan of Portland as the suspect in Holden’s death.
McMahon, who was 27 at the time of the fire, died in 2023 at age 57, according to Nadeau.
The Portland Police Department and Maine attorney general’s office have officially closed the case.
“For over thirty years, the family of Maude Holden has lived without answers. Today, while we cannot erase their loss, we can finally provide them with the truth about what happened. This case reflects the persistence and dedication of our investigators, who never gave up on finding justice for Ms. Holden,” Portland Police Chief Mark Dubois said.
It’s the fifth cold case that the Portland Police Department has closed in the past five years. The department has three detectives working full time to close the remaining 11 unsolved homicides in the city.
