A prominent Maine philanthropist and retired Navy reserve officer was shot and killed at an assisted living facility in a Washington, D.C., suburb, authorities said.
The Montgomery County Department of Police in Maryland responded to an early-morning emergency call on Feb. 14 at Cogir Potomac Senior Living. First responders found Robert Fuller Jr., 87, suffering from severe head trauma.
“After processing the scene, Homicide detectives confirmed that Fuller had been shot,” the department said in a statement. “His death is being investigated as a homicide and he was taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for autopsy to determine cause and manner of death.”
Police said no arrests have been made and no suspects have been identified.
Fuller was a retired attorney from Augusta, Maine, where he was widely known for his philanthropic contributions. In addition to his legal career and military service, he was recognized locally for his financial support of community initiatives.
According to the Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce, Fuller donated more than $1.6 million to modernize the athletic complex at Cony High School in Augusta. The project had stalled due to financial challenges faced by the city during the COVID-19 pandemic.
When announcing the contribution, Fuller described the gift as an investment in the city’s future.
“I believe that when a high school has a continuing history of athletic success, it fosters a sense of community pride. It rubs off,” Fuller said at the time. “When this pride is evident it becomes easier to attract people who’ll add value — doctors, teachers, artists, entrepreneurs — and who’ll choose to stay around.”
“Not only because Augusta has the superior facilities and services they demand but it’s also where a visitor can detect that its citizens are upbeat and enjoy living where they are,” he continued. “You can’t have successful teams these days without the infrastructure you need to support them. So I don’t think of my action as simply a gift but rather as an investment in Augusta’s future.”
The investigation remains ongoing.
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