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Elderly Gardener's Trees Poisoned in Bitter Neighbor Dispute
14 Oct
Summary
- 90-year-old widow's trees mysteriously withered after neighbors asked her to cut them down
- Investigation revealed herbicidal poison in trees, lining up with neighbor's deck view
- Neighbor fined $3,000 but "crime does pay" as trees may never recover
As of October 14th, 2025, a long-running dispute between neighbors in the quiet town of Rockport, Maine has sparked outrage far beyond the local community. The conflict centers around 90-year-old widow Ruth Graham, an avid gardener who had long cared for the trees on her property, enjoying the shade and privacy they provided.
However, in 2017, when summer residents Stephan Antonson and Kathleen Hackett moved in next door, they reportedly asked Graham to cut down the trees so they could enjoy a better view of the harbor. Graham declined. The following year, Graham noticed several of her trees mysteriously withering. An investigation by the Maine Board of Pesticides Control revealed that herbicidal poison had been injected into bore holes in a corridor of trees, all aligned with the neighbor's deck view.
Antonson denied any wrongdoing but ultimately agreed to pay a $3,000 fine. Graham's friend Douglas Cole expressed frustration, saying "A message is being sent that crime does pay." He added that the situation "completely smacks of privilege." The poisoned trees may take years to recover, if they recover at all. This case highlights the broader issue of how mature trees provide vital benefits to neighborhoods, and how homeowners often struggle to protect their greenery from neighbors, associations, or local regulations.
