Weatherman killed himself after he was reported for sex assault
A meteorologist in Maine who committed suicide last month was named Thursday in a sexual assault investigation — and would be charged if he were still alive, authorities announced.
Tom Johnston, who had been a meteorologist for WCSH since 2014, would face a felony charge of gross sexual assault in connection to a sexual assault that police say occurred on April 1 at a home in Newry and was reported the following morning from a hospital in Bridgton, the Morning Sentinel reported.
Oxford County Sheriff Wayne Gallant told reporters during a press conference Thursday that Johnston, 46, was the only suspect in the assault and was identified by both a witness and the alleged victim, the newspaper reports.
Johnston, whose nickname was “TJ Thunder,” was reported missing April 3 by his girlfriend after he didn’t return home following an event at the Sunday River Ski Resort. Police found his body three days later in a wooded area in Auburn. The state medical examiner determined Johnston died of hypothermia from environmental exposure after cutting himself on both arms and losing consciousness.
Gallant told reporters he believes Johnston knew he was a suspect in the assault, adding that investigators had previously left messages for him were not unable to reach him.
The investigation is now closed since Johnston is dead. He is not believed to have been connected to any other crimes, Gallant said.
Local new reports speculated about Johnston’s involvement in an alleged assault days after his death, but Thursday’s news conference was the first time authorities confirmed that he was a suspect, the Bangor Daily News reports.