BEDFORD, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — A Bedford man was arrested and charged with murder after police said he beat his girlfriend to death on a Maine beach.
Police arrested Jeffrey Buchanan, 33, for allegedly assaulting victim Rhonda Pattelena, 35, also of Bedford.
According to Maine State Police, beach goers at Short Sands Beach began reporting the incident around 4 p.m. on Friday.
The state medical examiner's office ruled Pattelena's death a homicide caused by blunt force injury to the head on Saturday.
State police reported that Buchanan and Pattelena had a child together.
Buchanan is in custody as York County Jail and is expected to have his first court appearance at the York County Superior Court next week.
A beach goer, Tom Campbell, spoke with WBZ-TV. He said, "It's very sad, you know, that something like this would happen, you know, right out here in the open, midday, in front of the public."
This incident remains under investigation.
WBZ NewsRadio's Shari Small (@ShariSmallNews) reports.
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