The last of three men charged in the 2017 murder of a Whitneyville man was sentenced Thursday morning in Machias.
Justin Matthews, 35, formerly of Pembroke, was sent to prison for six years Thursday after earlier pleading guilty to felony murder.
He was given an overall sentence of 16 years but had 10 years of that suspended, and will have to serve four years of probation after he is released. If he gets into trouble with the law after he gets out, he could go back to prison for the remainder of his 16-year sentence.
The sentence brings to an end more than seven years of investigation and prosecution of the death of Wayne Foss, a fisherman who was killed at the age of 48 at his home in Whitneyville. The killing was one of roughly a half-dozen drug-related murders that occurred in Washington County between 2017 and 2022, most of which involved members of criminal drug gangs from out of state.
The link between Foss’ death and illegal drug activity in Washington County did not become public until May 2023 when the Bangor Daily News reported that Foss’ family members were frustrated by the lack of progress in solving the case and they believed his killing was connected to drugs.
Foss died as a result of sharp force injury and inhalation of combustible materials, Shannon Moss, spokesperson for Maine Department of Public Safety, said Thursday.
Two other people accused in killing Foss and then setting his mobile home on fire pleaded guilty last month.
Basilio Liranzo, 29, of New York was sentenced on April 17 to serve 16 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of arson and murder, according to WABI.
Also last month, Leanza Boney, 27, of New York pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit murder and, as part of a deal with prosecutors, had other charges dismissed. Boney also received an overall 16-year sentence with all but five years suspended and four years of probation after he is released.
