A man accused of shooting and killing three people in Downeast Maine is making his case to jurors himself.

Thomas Bonfanti, 65, is accused of shooting four people in and around Machias in February 2020.

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He's said to have known the victims.

He's telling the jury he shot them in a dispute over missing American Legion funds.

He says he went to talk to them about the money then shot them in self-defense.

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Bonfanti's attorney spoke about the unusual nature of the case.

“I’ve done a lot of trials and I have never had a client do his own opening so that was unique. I’m curious as to how it impacted the jury,” Jeff Toothaker, Bonfanti's defense lawyer, said.

The trial is expected to take several weeks.

WVII contributed to this report.