A murderer who was released from prison because he was regarded to be ‘too old’ has now been convicted of stabbing a woman to death in front of her 11-year-old twin sons.
77-year-old Albert Flick, from Maine, served a 25 year prison sentence for the 1979 stabbing murder of his wife. He was initially freed in 2004, but returned to jail in 2010 for assaulting a woman.
At the time of his 2010 sentencing, the judge ignored the recommendation for a longer sentence, saying it didn’t make sense to lock him up and that Flick wouldn’t be a threat due to his age, the New York Post reports.
In 2018, just a few short years after his 2014 release date, Flick murdered homeless mother Kimberly Dobbie, 48, in broad daylight outside a laundromat in Lewiston. Kimberly’s children saw the murder take place, during which she was stabbed at least 11 times.
According to WGME, Flick had become infatuated by Kimberley, stalking her and eating at the homeless shelter where she was living.
Assistant Attorney General Bud Ellis reportedly told jurors Flick was aware Kimberley had been planning on leaving town, leading him to think ‘if I can’t have her, I will kill her’:
His obsession had changed, It was a deadly obsession because it resulted in her murder. The obsession became ‘if I can’t have her, I will kill her.’
And that’s exactly what he did. It was thought out, it was deliberate, it was premeditated.
Two days prior to Kimberley’s murder, Flick bought a pair of knives at a Walmart store, with the purchase captured on CCTV footage. The murder itself was also recorded on surveillance footage.
It reportedly took the jury less than one hour to reach a guilty verdict.
Flick’s sentencing has been scheduled for August 9, with Flick facing a prison sentence of 25 years to life.
An obituary notice commemorating the life of Kimberly Dobbie honoured the devoted mother’s ‘kind and gentle spirit’, praising her ‘ready smile and a quick wit’.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677.
If you have a story you want to tell send it to UNILAD via story@unilad.com
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.