On Dec. 4, Marcel LaGrange received two life sentences plus 50 years after pleading guilty to the June 2023 murders of Brittney Cockrell and Michael Hayter in Westbrook, Maine. The couple’s two young children, ages 7 and 11, witnessed the killings from the family car. Prosecutors say LaGrange acted after being rejected by a woman and had "laid in wait"; he told the court he had stopped taking medication and was not receiving needed mental health care. The children now live with their grandparents in Texas.
Moved to Maine for Safety — Parents Fatally Shot in Front of Children; Shooter Sentenced to Life + 50 Years
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On Dec. 4, Marcel LaGrange was sentenced to two life terms plus an additional 50 years after pleading guilty to the June 2023 killings of Brittney Cockrell and Michael Hayter in downtown Westbrook, Maine. The attack, which prosecutors say was planned, was witnessed by the couple’s two young children from the family car.
What Happened
Cockrell and Hayter had recently relocated from Houston, Texas, to Westbrook because they believed the move would provide a safer environment to raise their children, ages 7 and 11. Weeks after the move, prosecutors say LaGrange shot both parents on the night of June 19, 2023, and also attempted to shoot one of the children.
Prosecution Account
Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Ackerman told the court that LaGrange had threatened violence after being rejected by a woman and that he "laid in wait" that night. Ackerman described the traumatic scene: "The children were present in the car when their father was executed in the front seat. They saw their mother being chased by the defendant with a gun in his hand."
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"Brittney’s screaming rings in my ear," bystander Aaron Bean told reporters. "Seeing kids reach out for their dead father is heartbreaking."
Defendant's Statement and Mental Health
LaGrange pleaded guilty to two counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and multiple related charges including aggravated assault, criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon and reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon. In court he said, "I was not in my right mind that day," and told the judge he had stopped taking prescribed medication, had been using alcohol and marijuana, and was not receiving necessary mental health care.
Since July 2023, LaGrange has been held in the intensive mental health unit at Maine State Prison and is expected to remain there while serving his sentences.
Aftermath
The couple’s two children now live in Texas with their grandparents, who have taken over their care. Family members and community witnesses read victim impact statements in court and described the lasting trauma the attack inflicted on the children and on the Westbrook community.
Sources: Local reporting and court records summarized by regional outlets including News Center Maine, WGME, WMTW and PEOPLE.
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