Fugitive accused of murders seized By Ted Sylvester NEWS Rockland Bureau BELFAST - Chandler Littlefield 31 of Belfast who escaped from a Florida corrections center last Nov 27 after being indicted for the 1973 slaying of a Liberty couple has been captured in San Diego Calif Littlefield was arrested on an FBI fugitive from justice warrant Thursday and is being held in the San Diego County jail awaiting return to Florida the FBI said in Augusta Friday Littlefield had been serving a five - year sentence in Florida for conviction of assault with intent to kill He was extradited to Maine on the double murder charges He escaped however just prior to being picked up by Maine authorities The fugitive is charged in Maine with the Dec 9 1973 slaying of Joaquin “Jack” Bettencourt 55 and his wife Florence at their Liberty home The Bettencourts operated a used clothing store at Liberty While robbery has never been officially declared as the motive for the crime Mr Bettencourt was known to have carried large sums of cash No cash was found on the slain body The FBI at Augusta had no information Friday on the circumstances surrounding Littlefield's arrest in California A FBI fugitive from justice warrant had been issued for Littlefield’s arrest at the request of Florida officials The FBI said Friday it was unknown in Maine if Littlefield had been arrested by the FBI or local officials in San Diego Assistant Attorney General John Atweed handling the Bettencourt murders case said that as soon as Littlefield is returned to Florida and answers escape charges Maine will file a detainer to have the man returned to Maine to face court action