'Devoted mom' fatally stabbed by resident while working at group home

Published: 06:24, 7 May 2026 | Updated: 06:25, 7 May 2026 A devoted mother of two who worked at a group home was allegedly stabbed to death by one of the residents.  Marlene McNeill was allegedly killed by Armando Javier Negrete on Monday at Shalom House in Portland, Maine.  McNeill was a project manager at the facility, where she cared for adults with severe mental health disorders.  Negrete appeared in court remotely on Wednesday, and few details about him were released due to sealed court records.  The project manager's best friend and coworker, Jessica McKosky, spoke to WGME about the devastating loss. 'I didn't accept it at first,' McKosky said. 'It was shocking.' 'She was so selfless. She put everything aside for other people,' the grieving friend told the outlet. McKosky revealed details about the incident, as she worked closely with the patient in the home. Marlene McNeill, 40, was allegedly killed by 40-year-old Armando Javier Negrete on Monday at the Shalom House on Woodford St in Portland , Maine The devoted mother-of-two worked at the group home and was stabbed to death by one of the patients 'I worked very closely one-on-one with him, and as angry as I would like to be at this particular client, it's very out of character,' McKosky told the outlet.  'It wasn't him in the incident,' she added. The coworker said she was dumbfounded by how the suspect obtained a weapon, as residents in the home were never given access to sharp objects. Drawing on her time working at the group home, she added that there were typically at least two employees on shift. But she told the outlet there was one vulnerable spot for workers - a hallway behind a door - and police say that is where McNeill was attacked. 'That hallway that we walk into every morning is isolated. You have a locked door and a stairwell to another locked door, so nobody's watching,' McKosky told the outlet.  'It sounds like she was a very easy target there,' she added. A GoFundMe was started for the late mother-of-two's family, with over $110,000 raised of a $180,000 goal. McNeill and her husband, a GoFundMe was started for the late mother-of-two's family, Over $110,000 has been raised for their $180,000 goal  on GoFundMe The proceeds are going to McNeill's family to help with the sudden loss of her income The Shalom House at 503 Woodford St in Portland Maine The house offers residential treatment for adults with severe mental health disorders 'Marlene McNeill was the kind of person who made everyone around her feel seen,' the GoFundMe stated. 'She was a devoted mother to her two young children, a fiercely loyal partner to Mike O'Connell, and a friend whose laughter, warmth, and generosity left a lasting mark on everyone she touched.' The proceeds are going to McNeill's family to help with the sudden loss of her income, it will help her husband manage groceries, childcare and basic daily necessities. 'She loved those kids more than anything,' McKosky said of her friend. 'And I cannot imagine how they must be feeling right now.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.