Man Offers $10K Reward to Learn Who Killed His Brother in Caribou

Joe Bourgoine says he wants some answers about who killed his brother, Kenneth Zernicke.

It was during the evening hours of September 24th, 2015 when the Caribou Fire Department responded to a house fire on lower Lyndon Street. After dousing the flames, they found the body of the homeowner, 58-year-old Kenneth Zernicke. An autopsy was performed on the body at the office of the Chief Medical Examiner and Zernicke's death was ruled a homicide. The cause of his death was never revealed, as is often the case in homicide investigations. 6 years later, this case remains unsolved, despite the fact that the house was located near a busy four-way intersection. Maine State Police Detectives have always hoped that someone would come forward, who saw something that could help in the investigation.

Now, Zernicke's brother is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the conviction of the person responsible for Ken's murder. He says he's been saving money for six years, in order to offer a substantial reward that he hopes will bring some answers.

It's a small town," Joe Bourgoine said in a Maine State Police media release. "Somebody knows what happened to my brother. I just want them to come forward and do the right thing.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Detective Adam Bell at the Houlton Barracks, 207-532-5400.