Suspect in Biddeford's murder arranged a fake drug deal, according to prosecutors

What started as a sham drug deal ended with the death of a Biddeford man last month, prosecutors said in court Wednesday morning.

Linda Lambert appears in York County Superior Court on Wednesday via Zoom. Screenshot from the Zoom hearing

Gene Dares, 46, was shot the night of Sept. 27 after an encounter with Garret Labonte, 45, and Linda Lambert, 56, of Biddeford. The two were arrested on Monday evening. While court documents detailing the murder are not yet available to the public, attorneys revealed some of the events leading up to Dares' death during Lambert's first appearance in York County Superior Court on Wednesday.

Lambert attended the hearing via Zoom at the York County Jail, where she is being held on $250,000 bail and was ordered not to contact Labonte. She is accused of aggravated murder and robbery.

Labonte is also charged with aggravated murder and robbery, as well as one count of knowing or premeditated murder. He is being held in jail without bail and his initial appearance is scheduled for Thursday.

Under Maine law, a person is guilty of aggravated murder if his or her death is caused in the commission or attempt to commit a felony, such as robbery, burglary or kidnapping. The penalty is a maximum of 30 years in prison, and for murder a minimum of 25 years.

Both suspects have lengthy criminal histories dating back more than 25 years, according to state Bureau of Identification Office records.

Labonte was convicted of misdemeanors including assault, disorderly conduct, theft and violating conditions of release, as well as crimes including drug trafficking and theft by deception. Lambert was convicted of assault, trespassing and theft, as well as illegal drug possession.

Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Ackerman said Wednesday that Lambert facilitated a meeting between Labonte and Dares, who Ackerman said had a “longstanding dispute” with each other. She said Labonte expressed his intention to kill Dares several times.

Investigators found that Lambert had texted Labonte that Dares was five minutes from her home on Foss Street, where he was riding an electric bicycle to buy cocaine. When Dares arrived, a confrontation ensued, he was shot and fell to the ground, Ackerman said.

First responders found Dares with his bags turned inside out and a backpack that was mostly empty except for drug paraphernalia, she said. He died at the scene.

The pistol used to shoot Dares was later recovered from the Saco River. Ackerman said Labonte used that gun to kill Dares after Lambert bought it for him at Cabela's because he was prohibited from owning a firearm.

Lambert's attorney, Joseph Mekonis, argued that Lambert was merely a witness to the crime and not an accomplice.

Mekonis said Lambert called 911 when Dares was shot outside her home. He said she was honest in interviews with investigators when she said Labonte wanted to kill Dares.

“You'd have to be a really, really bad-thinking, determined criminal to … set this man up for Garret Labonte right outside (their) house,” Mekonis said. “It's all a coincidence that Ms. Lambert and Mr. Labonte are drug-using friends. Mr. Labonte, if he is, acted independently.”

He asked Superior Court Judge Richard Mulhern to lower Lambert's bail to $5,000 cash and impose a curfew if she was released from jail. Mulhern rejected this request.

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