By David Harry
Staff Writer

The prosecutor in the murder case against a local man said he killed his victim because he believed the man sexually assaulted his ex-wife.
Assistant Attorney General Lisa Marchese said she might seek a murder indictment against Timothy Antone from a Cumberland County grand jury when it meets this month.
Antone, 42, of Willowdale Road, entered no plea at his appearance in Cumberland County Superior Court in Portland on Tuesday. He is charged with one count of murder and is being held without bail at the Cumberland County Jail in Portland.
“I anticipate presenting the case this month,” Marchese said. She added Antone faces a sentence of 25 years to life if he is convicted in the killing of Roland Villacci in front of Villacci’s apartment building in Portland on Oct. 28.
Villacci died from his injuries Sunday, according to Capt. Ted Ross of the Portland Police Department. Because of Villacci’s death, Ross said the department elevated the charges against Antone from elevated aggravated assault and criminal intent to murder.
“We are prepared to go to a grand jury,” Ross said.
Marchese said the state attorney general’s office, which prosecutes murder cases in Maine, had been alerted to Villacci’s deteriorating condition over the weekend and had already filed preliminary charges in the event of his death.
According to Ross, Antone hit Villacci with his Ford Explorer as Villacci tried to run away in the parking lot of Auburn Terrace apartments at 238 Auburn St. in Portland. Villacci knew Antone was outside because he had been warned in a phone call, Ross said.
After hitting Villacci, Ross said Antone’s sport utility vehicle crashed into a wall of an apartment building and Antone was arrested as he tried to walk away from the scene.
Ross said Antone was cooperative when arrested, but has said little to investigators about the events.
While Ross alluded to a conflict between Antone and his victim, Marchese was more direct in describing the circumstances leading to Villacci’s death.
“Elizabeth Antone had suggested to her ex-husband that she had been raped by the victim a few weeks prior to this,” Marchese said. “On this particular day, he said he was going over to kill him.”
Marchese said Elizabeth Antone is not a target of the murder investigation.
“I have no reason to believe that Elizabeth Antone is involved in the homicide of Mr. Villacci,” Marchese said. “She’s an important witness, however, and it is important she is truthful with us.”
According to Antone’s mother, Janice Pinkham, the couple is divorced but still live together. Pinkham said Elizabeth Antone has two sons who consider Timothy Antone to be their father.
“He is an easy going guy,” said Pinkham about her son. “This is not like him, he must have been out of his head.”
Antone, who faces a bail hearing within the next 30 days, had no comment at the hearing presided over by Justice Joyce Wheeler on Tuesday.
Portland attorney Neale Duffett has been appointed to represent Antone, and his ex-wife also consulted with a court appointed attorney.
Originally held on $1 million, Antone’s bail had been reduced to $100,000 at a hearing Oct. 30. When Villacci died, “bail was extinguished,” Marchese said.
The hearing Tuesday was confusing to attorneys and the family gathered in support of Antone.
Cumberland County deputies said they had not been told to bring Antone to court for his 1 p.m. hearing, and Wheeler met with Marches and Duffett in her chambers before proceeding when Antone arrived in court.

Staff writer David Harry can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 219