A woman once convicted of killing a Canadian tourist by suffocating her with sand — and sentenced to ten years in prison — has now been elected to the city council in a Maine town that famously inspired Stephen King’s ‘It.’
Angela Walker was elected to the Bangor City Council on Tuesday, more than twenty years after she and her brother, Benjamin Humphrey, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the 2002 death of Canadian tourist Derek Rogers, according to the Bangor Daily News. Running as an independent, Walker was one of three candidates chosen to serve a three-year term on the city council. However, her dark past has raised questions about her eligibility.
Dark Past Comes Haunting Back
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Walker, along with the other two winning candidates, was backed by the progressive Maine nonprofit Food and Medicine, the Bangor Daily News reported. At the time of her conviction in 2003, Walker went by her maiden name, Humphrey.
She was found guilty of manslaughter in the death of Derek Rogers after a fight erupted in Old Orchard Beach, reportedly over Rogers using a derogatory term aimed at Native American women. Rogers was later found brutally beaten and suffocated with sand.
“That’s my past. I don’t live there anymore and I’m a different person,” Walker told the news outlet, reflecting on her conviction.
She also admitted to perjury and was sentenced to ten years in prison.
Currently, Bangor has no law preventing Walker—or any other resident with a criminal record—from running for public office.
Famous Town, Infamous Councilwoman
The Maine city famously inspired Stephen King’s fictional town of Derry, the eerie setting for several of his hit horror novels, including ‘It’, the story of the terrifying clown. King himself once lived in Bangor, and his former home, a Victorian mansion, remains closed to the public, according to Tripadvisor.
Walker’s election has sparked criticism online, with many users voicing disapproval over voters choosing a former convict as a councilmember.
“We need a federal law that prohibits violent offenders from ever holding office. How is this not present?” one user wrote.
“America is so broken. Voters in Maine elected Angela Walker, a violent murderer, as a new city councilor,” another user wrote on X.
“The glittering pinnacle of progressive enlightenment,” the user continued.
Walker has addressed the criticism and lingering resentment regarding her past criminal record. “I want people to see that it’s possible that we can change,” Walker told the Bangor Daily News.
“I was so lost for so many years. I think people really need to see the other side of that,” she said.
Having lived in Bangor for 13 years, Walker has been open about her journey through addiction and past struggles with homelessness. She has become a strong advocate for local drug recovery programs, the Bangor Daily News reported.
