A triple homicide in Vermont has led to authorities investigating the deaths of a local official, his wife, and her teenage son. The Vermont State Police discovered the bodies of Brian Crossman Sr., 46, Erica Crossman, 41, and Colin Taft, 13, at their home in Pawlet.
The Vermont triple homicide unfolded after officers responded to a report of a "suspicious person." The investigation led police to the Crossman family residence.
According to the Vermont Chief Medical Examiner's Office, all three victims died from gunshot wounds. Brian Crossman Sr. sustained shots to the head and torso, while Erica Crossman was shot in the head. Colin Taft, Erica's son and Brian's stepson, suffered multiple gunshot wounds. The deaths have been officially ruled as homicides.
As per the latest update, no suspects were in custody in connection with the Pawlet shooting. The Vermont State Police stated, "Initial work by detectives indicates this was an isolated event with no identified threat to the community." However, authorities have not released additional details, citing the ongoing investigation.
Brian Crossman Sr. had recently joined the Pawlet Select Board, serving as a liaison to buildings and development and the town's highway department.
Mike Beecher, Chair of the Pawlet Select Board, expressed grief. "This tragedy that struck him and his family has also hit our community hard, and we are shaken and grieving," Beecher said in a statement. He remembered Crossman as a "friend and neighbor" and a "hardworking community member."
Beecher added, "The town of Pawlet will work to get through this as we always get through hard times, by supporting each other and doing our best to carry on."
The impact of the Crossman family murder was evident as community members left flowers at the Pawlet Town Hall before a board meeting on Tuesday night. The gesture underscored the close-knit nature of Pawlet, a town of approximately 1,400 residents located in western Vermont along the New York state line.