By Dan Aceto

Staff Writer

As Angie Presby sits on a guardrail next to a makeshift memorial site on Pine Point Road in Scarborough, she’s haunted by the chilling reminder of her friend’s death 12 years ago.

 “It’s a very eerie feeling. It brings back a lot of memories,” Presby said.

Each year, Presby has made a memorial of balloons, flowers and photos to remember her friend Ashley Ouellette of Saco. A passing motorist found Ouellette’s body in the middle of Pine Point Road in Scarborough, early in the morning on Feb. 10, 1999.

The case has never been solved.

Ouellette, 15, was last seen alive at the home of Daniel and Steven Sanborn on Mast Hill Road in Saco around 2 a.m, said Scarborough Detective Don Blatchford. She was supposed to spend the night at a friend’s house, but later ended up at a party there, he said.

Scott Harakles, a detective for the Maine State Police who worked as co-primary detective on the case, said Ouellette died of strangulation.

He said countless people were questioned, including the Sanborn brothers, who were confirmed to be the last to see Ouellette alive, but no arrests were made.

Steve McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety, said the case remains open and is still under investigation.

To mark the 12^th anniversary of her friend’s death, Presby hopes to involve the community in her remembrance with a special benefit at the Landing at Pine Point in Scarborough.

Although no date has been set, Presby said she would like the event to feature live entertainment and raise enough money to grant a wish for a child involved in the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Presby said she and others who knew Ouellette had discussed the idea of planning a fundraiser in the past, but were unsure what type of event to hold, how to gather necessary funds or even where to have it. Her doubts were finally cast aside after setting foot inside the Landing at Pine Point.

After finding a location for the event, the next step was determining what organization the fundraiser should benefit.

 Lise Ouellette, Ashley Ouellette’s mother, knew donating funds to the Make-A-Wish Foundation would be perfect.

“One thing I said is that Ashley always loved children,” Lise Ouellette said. “Whenever she would babysit, the kids always loved her and she had lots of nieces and nephews that looked up to her.”

Lise Ouellette said like any teenager, her daughter enjoyed spending time with her friends and family and also was interested in dance and softball.

“She was your typical 15-year-old,” Lise Ouellette said. “She was very intelligent and knew her mind. She knew what she wanted and what she didn’t. When she learned something she always wanted to learn something else. She was like a sponge.”

Lise Ouellette, who lost her husband in 2001 to heart disease, said dealing with the loss of her child is a day-to-day struggle.

“Eventually it gets easier to get up each day,” she said. “The emotions are all still there. I miss her and the way that it happened destroys you. Sometimes you have anger, but every day is different. You just wish they were here and that’s the important thing.”

She said the support of friends and family has helped her the most during difficult times, as well maintaining a strong belief in her faith.

Presby, who is now a mother herself, said in difficult times she looks to Lise Ouellette’s strength of character.

“I always think about Lise and what she’s gone through. Being a parent now, I’m able to sympathize I guess,” Presby said. “When it happened in high school we weren’t as grown up as we are now and the reality of losing a child is definitely more prominent when you have your own.”

“I think about what she went through and is still going through and how she is still pushing on,” Presby added. “I hope sooner rather than later someone is put behind bars for what they caused her family, friends and community.”

Presby said one reason she wants to organize the event is to raise awareness of the case and to never let those responsible for Ouellette’s death forget their actions.

“I feel that the moment we stop talking about her or keeping her name in the public, whoever did this will think they can get away with it,” Presby said. “This is still a very real thing to everyone who was affected by it and we never want them to think we’re not thinking about it. We’re her voice and the more her name is out there, the more pressure it puts on someone to come forward.”

Although the case has been open for 12 years, Presby said she urges anyone with information to contact law enforcement.

“Even if you don’t think it could help, it may be exactly what they need,” Presby said. “We need to put pressure on whoever did this so that they know this is never going to go away. How much longer are they going to live with this? It just makes it even worse when there is someone out there that knows something.”

Lise Ouellette agreed.

“Sometimes just having a conversation can trigger something,” she said. “It’s when you least expect it that someone’s going to remember something.”

Lise Ouellette said although she’s frustrated the case remains unsolved, she remains hopeful justice will be served and does not want to rush the case to court until enough evidence can be gathered to prove someone is responsible.

“I wouldn’t want anyone to bring a case forward that wouldn’t win and I’ve said that since day one,” she said. “I’ve seen cases that take a long time and I believe in justice and still feel that way. I know there are people out there that know exactly what happened.”

Lise Ouellette said she fears that because her daughter’s killer has never been caught, others may suffer the same fate.

“No matter what happens my daughter is never coming back, but this person can still be taken off the streets,” she said.

Blatchford, lead investigator for the case in Scarborough, said he wishes he could provide the family more information.

“It’s been very disappointing to know the family has gone through 12 years of not knowing the answers they deserve to have,” Blatchford said. “Collectively it’s our job to have those answers for them and quite frankly it’s painful to see a mother go through this.”

He said the department still gets leads now, and although there has not been enough evidence to prove anyone guilty, he assures the case has not been forgotten.

“To us locally, this has never really gone on the back burner,” Blatchford said. “There are two unsolved homicides in this town, the other being Susan Hannah. I can assure you that both of these cases are on the mind of investigators on a regular basis and especially anniversary dates.”

According to the Scarborough Police Department website, Hannah’s remains were discovered Nov. 14, 1993, in the woods of a logging road in Limington. The 22-year-old was living with her mother at the time in Scarborough and was last seen at the The Whaler bar in Old Orchard on April 19, 1992. A suspect has been interviewed in the case, but no arrests have been made.

Presby said Ouellette was known for her sense of humor, as well as her care and affection for others.

Although the two were close growing up, they had not seen each other much around the time of her death.

“My last memory of Ashley was at Thornton Academy during lunch, a few days before she was murdered. It had been a while since I’d seen her and she came up to me at the table and sat down. We had some girl talk, but I remember her saying, ‘We should really hang out soon.’ We never got that chance,” Presby said.

Lise Ouellette said she is thankful for the support and interest in the case and is grateful Presby wants to organize the benefit. She said the event should be a time to celebrate her daughter’s life.

“I want it to be a happy thing, that’s what it should be,” Lise Ouellette said.

Although the investigation has continued for 12 years, Lise Ouellette said she keeps the memory of her daughter close.

“There’s not a day that goes by that she isn’t with me – her and her father,” Lise Ouellette said.

Staff Writer Dan Aceto can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 237.