Murder suspect arrested after crash in Pittsfield

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) – A murder investigation began Tuesday in Bangor, Maine, after officers found 39-year-old Virginia Cookson dead in her home.

As a result of the investigation, a warrant was issued for the arrest of 42-year-old Bangor resident Richard Keith Thorpe for murder.

Around 4 a.m. Friday, officers with the Pittsfield Police Department responded to a motor vehicle accident near the intersection of West and Onota Streets.

The vehicle was unoccupied and items inside led officers to believe the driver may have been Thorpe. Officers conducted an area search but were unable to locate the driver at this time.

That same morning, just before 7:00 a.m., officers responded to West Housatonic Street for a report of a stolen motor vehicle. The stolen vehicle was located within the next hour and a half and the driver led officers on a chase that included the areas of West Street and intersecting streets.

It should be noted that school bus operations were active at this time.

The vehicle was eventually stopped in the area of ​​Euclid Avenue after making contact with a police vehicle. No significant injuries were reported. The driver of the stolen vehicle was positively identified as Thorpe and was taken into custody without incident.

He was charged with numerous traffic offenses and an out-of-state warrant for murder. He is expected to be arraigned in Pittsfield District Court.

As a precautionary measure during the car chase, all local schools were asked to shelter in place and based on the location of Taconic High School, that school was placed on lockdown.

The security measures at the school lasted about five minutes. Neither Thorpe nor Cookson have a known connection to Pittsfield MA and there are no documented service calls prior to today's event.

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