Who is Samuel Whittemore? Ex-SpaceX engineer kills wife of 5 months, injures his mom in horrific attack in Maine

A former SpaceX engineer has been accused of killing his wife of five months in a terrifying attack in a small Maine town. Samuel Whittemore, 34, also critically injured his mother.

On February 19, Samuel was visiting his parents’ home in Readfield, Maine, with his wife Margaux Nguyen Whittemore when cops were called to the home after 10 am. The Maine State Police said that Margaux, a 32-year-old yoga instructor, was found dead outside the home, New York Post reported.

While investigating, police found Dorothy Whittemore, Samuel’s 67-year-old mom, injured inside the home. She had sustained injuries to her neck. She was taken to Maine General Hospital in Augusta, which is 16 miles away from the property, and was listed in critical condition. However, she was later upgraded.

The home on Giles Road, where the attack took place, was owned by Dorothy and Henry Whittemore since 1990, land records viewed by New York Post revealed. At the time of the attack, Henry was not at home.

While Samuel fled the scene before police arrived, a trooper eventually found him. He was subsequently taken into custody.

Who is Samuel Whittemore?

According to his LinkedIn, Samuel worked for the Elon Musk-founded SpaceX for six years. He last served as a Senior Avionics System Engineer before quitting the company in July 2021. An MIT graduate, Samuel described himself as a “passionate engineer and sailor” and “honest, analytical, and even-keeled under stress.”

At present, Samuel is listed as the lead engineer for French Polynesia-based Coral Gardners, where he has been working since April 2023. At the company, he designed equipment to monitor and improve coral reef restoration. He is also the captain and owner of a 50-foot sailboat named the SV Havili.

Samuel and Margaux tied the knot at a Maine lake in September, Instagram posts suggest. According to her LinkedIn, Margaux had worked with various French companies as a communication specialist since 2019. She also worked as a freelance marketing specialist since 2020.

An autopsy performed by the chief medical examiner in Augusta determined that Margaux’s death was a homicide. A cause of death or motive has yet to be released.

Samuel has been charged with murder and is being held without bail at the Kennebec County Jail. Although his attorney claimed he was competent to appear in court, his hearing – which was scheduled in Augusta court on Friday, February 21 – was postponed. Superior Court Justice Daniel Mitchell has reportedly ordered Samuel to undergo a mental competency evaluation before the hearings resumed in court.