Two separate shooting incidents in Maine during Thanksgiving in 2016 suddenly had everybody on edge. Norman Strobel was involved in both, leading the authorities to look into him. The inquiry showed a dark history of violence and criminal acts committed by Norman, ultimately causing his own death. Investigation Discovery’s ‘Obsession: Dark Desires: Cabin in the Woods’ focuses on Norman’s escalating behavior after his breakup with Sandra Goulet and how it all ended. So, let’s find out what happened then, shall we?
Who Was Norman Strobel?
While in Rhode Island, Norman met Sandra, and the couple began dating, eventually moving to Cumberland County, Maine. They lived together there, but issues soon started creeping into the relationship. By 2008, Norman had problems with the neighbors and the police were called over several times. As for Norman and Sandra, the authorities once saw him assault her in 2010 and suspected him of the same in 2014. According to Sandra, he was arrested for domestic abuse in Rhode Island back in the early 2000s as well.
Norman had already racked up an extensive criminal history by the time he met Sandra. Beginning in 1984, he was arrested for sexual assault, conspiracy to commit robbery, and threats, making him a convicted felon. By the summer of 2016, Norman began to drink heavily, affecting his behavior with Sandra. In July, he threatened to kill her and then kill himself. On July 5, 2016, the court issued a protection order for Sandra, but Norman showed up on her property.
But Norman kept violating the protection order by calling Sandra several times or trespassing on her property. He kept going in and out of jail, eventually being released on November 19, 2016. While in prison, he met Richard Diekema and began to live with him in Naples, Maine, after his release. But his obsession with Sandra didn’t go away. Apart from continuing to call her, he stole her two dogs after breaking into her house.
The authorities weren’t able to find Norman after that incident, and in the meantime, Sandra had her family visit her for Thanksgiving. Alyssa, her daughter, and Jason Almeida, her daughter’s boyfriend, were in Maine and living on another property. On the night of November 26, 2016, Alyssa and Jason heard a knock on the door from someone claiming to be the authorities. It was alleged that Richard could have driven Norman to the house, and the latter was looking for Sandra. Instead, he found Alyssa and Jason. Norman allegedly began firing as they came to the window, hitting Jason four times before leaving the scene.
How Did Norman Strobel Die?
Norman then spoke to Sandra over the phone, admitting to the shooting incident. The authorities used his phone to track him down to Richard’s mobile home in Naples. When they arrived sometime after 4:45 AM on November 27, 2016, they saw Richard in his recliner with blood on his face. The deputies went into the house and saw Norman with a gun. He refused to comply with the officers’ demands to drop his firearm.
According to the deputies, when Norman raised the gun in their direction, he was shot, killing him. The 59-year-old had four times the legal limit of alcohol in his body at the time. The authorities believed that Norman shot Richard in the head before the shootout. Earlier, on November 21, 2016, Norman told a relative, “I have guns, and I will kill myself and take everyone with me. I have to do what I have to do. I’m going to take people out.”
Read More: Where Are Sandra Goulet, Alyssa Goulet, and Jason Almeida Now?