Manuel Adame

Manuel Adame, a 57-year-old Hispanic/Latino man, was a longtime employee at a large egg farm in Turner, Maine. He lived in nearby Lewiston and had relatives in Texas. For many years, he had worked at the facility, which was formerly known as DeCoster Egg Farm before it was operated by Moark Egg Farm. On Monday, August 19, 2013, his life was cut short in a tragic incident at his workplace.

That day, Adame was inside one of the farm’s chicken barns, a poorly lit structure that was 500 feet long. The barn was in the process of being cleaned out. Also inside was Michael Warbin, a 44-year-old contractor from Franklin, Connecticut, who had been hired to clear the building of pests. Warbin was using a .22-caliber rifle to shoot at rodents and stray chickens. Investigators believed Warbin was at one end of the long building and Adame was at the other. A single bullet from Warbin’s rifle struck Adame in the chest and neck.

After being shot, Adame collapsed while attempting to leave the barn. He died while being transported to a hospital in Lewiston. When Maine State Police arrived, they identified Warbin as the man who fired the shot. He was cooperative throughout the investigation. Authorities stated early on that they believed the shooting was unintentional, but they focused their inquiry on whether "reckless criminal negligence" had played a role. A key question was why Warbin was apparently unaware that another person was in his field of fire.

In October 2013, an Androscoggin County grand jury indicted Michael Warbin on a charge of manslaughter. Prosecutors explained that while the death was not considered an intentional killing, a person could be charged with manslaughter if they caused a death through reckless criminal negligence. Warbin initially pleaded not guilty to the charge later that month.

The case concluded when Warbin later entered a no-contest plea to manslaughter in Androscoggin County Superior Court. As part of a plea agreement, he was sentenced to serve 45 days of a three-year jail sentence. His sentence also included four years of probation and 500 hours of community service.