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PORTLAND — A Brunswick man accused of shooting and killing his neighbor made his initial appearance in Cumberland County Superior Court on Monday afternoon.

Keith Brunelle, 58, was arrested Friday in Augusta and charged with murder and criminal use of explosives in the killing of James Smith. Police found Smith, 48, dead early on the morning of Sept. 1 at the Bay Bridge Estates mobile home park in Brunswick, where both men lived.

Much is still unknown about the incident.

Brunelle appeared briefly in court Friday in shackles and a yellow jumpsuit. A judge read the charges against him and appointed him an attorney. He spoke only to respond “yes” to the judge’s instructions.

He is being held at the Cumberland County Jail without bail.

Police responded to reports of gunshots at Brunelle’s home at 5 Valerie Ave. just after 12:45 a.m. Sept. 1. They discovered Smith’s body and arrested Brunelle on a bail violation. He was briefly jailed, posted bail and released, and police said that no one had been charged in connection with Smith’s death at that point.

The incident drew a large police presence to the Bay Bridge Estates mobile home park off Old Bath Road in Brunswick and startled a neighbor who spoke to reporters about being awakened by gunshots and seeing what he believed to be a body.

The state Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta determined Smith had died from a gunshot wound and ruled his death a homicide, Maine State Police said in a news release last week.

A Brunswick man faces a murder charge in the death of his neighbor, who was found dead at 5 Valerie Ave. early on Sept. 1. (Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer)

Detectives continued investigating and later obtained an arrest warrant for Brunelle on a murder charge; he also faces a Class C charge of criminal use of explosives. He was taken into custody without incident just before 10:30 a.m. Friday, police said.

Court documents accuse Brunelle of shooting Smith with a revolver. Additional documents describing the incident were not available Monday and had been impounded by a judge.

Police records indicate that Brunelle has lived at 5 Valerie Ave. for at least 18 years.

This is the second Brunswick homicide in roughly five months that police say involved two neighbors. In April, Tanner Dostie, 45, was accused of fatally stabbing his neighbor Dennis Blasens, then dismembering the 61-year-old Navy veteran’s body and burning the remains. He has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.