Body in liquor store leads to accused killer sleeping 1,600 miles away, Maine cops say

A 20-year-old accused of killing his co-worker in Maine was found sleeping in a parking lot more than 1,600 miles away in Arkansas, police said. Now, he’s in custody.

Days before, during the early morning of Dec. 28, the body of 52-year-old Angela Bragg was found inside Damon’s Beverage in Waterville by a fellow employee, according to Maine State Police.

An autopsy revealed Bragg died of “sharp force injury,” and her death was ruled a homicide by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta, police said Dec. 29.

A warrant was issued for the arrest of Spridal Hubiak, her co-worker who police believed had fled Maine in a black 2010 Ford Taurus, according to authorities.

Information regarding Hubiak’s legal representation wasn’t available Jan. 2.

Suspect found asleep

On Dec. 31, police officers in Flippin, Arkansas, found Hubiak asleep in a parking lot after midnight, Maine State Police announced in a news release that day. Flippin is about 150 miles north of Little Rock.

Hubiak fled in his car after police approached him and led authorities on a chase along Highway 65 in Boone County, according to police.

After Arkansas state troopers deployed spike mats, Hubiak’s car “became disabled” and he stepped out of his car with a rifle, police said.

“Shots were fired” and “Hubiak was injured,” according to Maine State Police.

Additional details regarding the shooting, which is being investigated by Arkansas State Police, weren’t mentioned in the news release.

Hubiak was transported to a medical facility in Green County, Missouri, where he “was expected to live” as of Dec. 31, police said.

McClatchy News contacted Maine State Police on Jan. 2 for an update on Hubiak’s condition and is awaiting a response.

The circumstances surrounding Bragg’s death are unclear, and authorities haven’t specified potential motives.

In a Dec. 29 Facebook post, Damon’s Beverage offered condolences to Bragg’s family.

“We are in the middle of an unimaginable tragedy … (Bragg) was a valued employee, friend, and person. None of us will be the same after this,” the post said.

Maine State Police detectives are working with Arkansas authorities in their investigation, the release said.

Waterville is about 20 miles northeast of Augusta.

Julia Marnin

McClatchy DC

Julia Marnin covers courts for McClatchy News, writing about criminal and civil affairs, including cases involving policing, corrections, civil liberties, fraud, and abuses of power. As a reporter on McClatchy’s National Real-Time Team, she’s also covered the COVID-19 pandemic and a variety of other topics since joining in 2021, following a fellowship with Newsweek. Born in Biloxi, Mississippi, she was raised in South Jersey and is now based in New York State.