NEWPORT -- Two guns have been found by authorities but a hunting rifle remains missing in the case of murder suspect Perley Goodrich Jr., Department of Public Safety spokesman Stephen McCausland said Friday.

Goodrich is charged in the shooting death of his father, 76-year-old Perley Goodrich Sr., on the night of Oct. 26. Perley Jr. was apprehended at a local restaurant by police after a three-day manhunt that focused on Newport's northern woods area, where police say he fled following the killing. At its peak, the search involved more than 50 officers and three aircraft combing the woods.

Maine State Police continue to ask local hunters to be on the lookout for hunting or camping equipment in the woods, McCausland said.

"Anyone who locates items that may be related to the case should leave them alone and contact state police by calling 911," McCausland said in a statement.

The disclosure about the weapons came following a Morning Sentinel report citing a close family friend of the family. She said police had recovered the guns that went missing from the residence after Perley Goodrich Jr. allegedly fled the scene. In addition, the friend reported that Goodrich on Thursday had left jail with authorities so that he could show them where he had hidden the murder weapon.

McCausland on Friday said he couldn't confirm whether the alleged murder weapon had been recovered, nor where or how the two guns had been recovered. The guns were taken to the state police crime lab, he said.

McCausland also said police believe three firearms in all were unaccounted for following the murder, so the rifle would be the third and last one still not found.

The hunting rifle "is unaccounted for; we're not sure if it's in the woods or not; it could be anywhere," McCausland said. "There's also some equipment we think might be in the woods, along with clothing. That's why we're asking hunters, who have far more eyes in the woods these days, to help retrace his footsteps."

According to a Maine State Police affidavit, Goodrich Jr. arrived at his parents' house on Rutland Road and suddenly attacked and beat his mother, 64-year-old Sandra, before shooting his father in the back, killing him. Sandra then ran to a neighbor, who called police, and told the neighbors that her son "was crazy."

The massive police search followed, yielding the discovery of the Goodriches' abandoned van a few miles up the road several hours later. Of several reported sightings of Goodrich, only one -- in the woods near the Newport-Corinna line -- seemed credible enough to intensify the hunt for him.

At about 12:30 a.m. Oct. 30, Goodrich arrived at the Big Stop restaurant inside the Irving gas station/convenience store in Newport, about 10 miles from the Goodrich residence.

He sat at a corner booth and ordered coffee, and the waitress serving him recognized him and called 911.

In an interview last week, Sandra Goodrich said her son suffers from bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive disorder, and that she had taken him to a psychiatric hospital three times during the preceding week and he had started taking a new medication.

He was injected with the antidepressant Trazodone, which is used to treat depression and anxiety disorders, but Perley Goodrich Jr. didn't want to take it because it was "dangerous" and made him feel "violent," his mother said.

Goodrich Jr. remains at the Penobscot County Jail in Bangor without bail. Goodrich's court-appointed attorney, Jeff Silverstein, said Friday that he had met with his client.

"He's quite despondent over the fact of his family situation as it is right now and the actions he caused," Silverstein said.

"He had been in a state of mental-health crisis and it was obvious to his mom, who apparently tried to get him help."

Scott Monroe -- 861-9253

smonroe@centralmaine.com