Convicted sex offender arrested for murder of 52-year-old woman in South Portland, Maine

SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine — A convicted Tier 3 sex offender has been arrested in connection with the homicide of a 52-year-old woman whose body was found in South Portland in September.

Gary Mariner, 65, of West Newfield, Maine is charged with murder in connection with the homicide of Danielle Goodwin of Freeport, state police said Saturday.

Mariner was previously convicted of gross sexual assault, according to the Maine Sex Offender Registry. The database lists Mariner’s place of employment as the restaurant 2 Dine In in South Portland.

On the evening of Sept. 5, Goodwin’s body was found off Clark’s Pond Road in South Portland, state police said. The Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta determined the manner of her death to be homicide.

During the past eight weeks, a team of investigators from the Maine State Police, police departments in Portland, South Portland and Saco, and the ATF conducted interviews, collected video evidence, and executed search warrants within the greater Portland area, state police said.

Evidence seized pursuant to the search warrants linked Mariner to Goodwin’s homicide, state police said.

On Thursday, investigators with the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit obtained an arrest warrant for Mariner on the charge of murder, state police said. He was arrested early Saturday morning in Saco.

Mariner is expected to make an initial appearance in York County District Court on Monday.

The cause of death is not being released at this time.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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