Ex-SpaceX engineer, Samuel Whittemore, accused of murdering wife Margaux Whittemore at Maine parents home
A former SpaceX engineer allegedly killed his world traveler wife of five months and critically injured his mom during a horrific attack in a small Maine town.
Samuel Whittemore, 34, was visiting his parents’ home in Readfield, Maine with his wife, Margaux Nguyen Whittemore on Feb. 19 when police were called to the property just after 10 a.m.
Nguyen Whittemore, a 32-year-old yoga instructor, was found dead outside the home, the Maine State Police said Friday.
During the initial investigation, Dorothy Whittemore, Samuel’s 67-year-old mom, was found inside her home suffering from injuries sustained in the attack.
She was rushed to Maine General Hospital in Augusta, 16 miles away from the home, where she was listed in critical condition. She has since been upgraded, police said.
Dorothy and Henry Whittemore co-owned the property on Giles Road since 1990, according to land records viewed by The Post.
Henry Whittemore was not in the home at the time of the attack, police said.
Police say Samuel Whittemore fled the scene before cops arrived but was found by a trooper a short time late and taken into custody.
Samuel Whittemore worked for the Elon Musk-founded SpaceX for 6 years, last serving as a Senior Avionics System Engineer before leaving in July 2021, according to his LinkedIn.
The MIT graduate described himself as a “passionate engineer and sailor” and is “honest, analytical, and even-keeled under stress.”
Whittemore is currently listed as the lead engineer for French Polynesia-based Coral Gardners where he has worked since April 2023, where he designed equipment to monitor and improve coral reef restoration.
He also is the captain and owner of a 50-foot sailboat named the SV Havili, which he has posted pictures of himself, his wife and his mother aboard.
The couple tied the knot during a private ceremony at a Maine lake on Sept. 8, 2024, according to an Instagram post.
“Am I dreaming?” Margaux captioned the post alongside photos of the newlywed couple celebrating their nuptials.
She has worked with several French companies as a communication specialist since 2019 and has also been a freelance marketing specialist since 2020, according to her LinkedIn.
The SKEMA Business School graduate listed Durango, Colorado as her hometown.
Margaux’s death was ruled a homicide after an autopsy was performed by the chief medical examiner in Augusta, officials said.
A cause of death or motive was not released by police as of early Saturday morning.
Samuel Whittemore was charged with murder and held without bail at the Kennebec County Jail.
He was scheduled to appear in Augusta court Friday, but the hearing was postponed despite his attorney claiming he was competent to appear, according to the Portland Press Herald.
Whittemore was ordered by Superior Court Justice Daniel Mitchell to undergo a mental competency evaluation before court hearings resumed.
