Tragedy Strikes Popular Vermont Trail: Victim Identified
A “suspicious death” unfolded last Thursday on a well-frequented trail in Vermont, with authorities now unveiling the identity of the victim. The Vermont State Police have confirmed the victim as Honoree Fleming, a 77-year-old resident of Castleton, Vermont. Her demise resulted from a gunshot wound to the head, and it has been classified as a homicide.
The incident occurred in close proximity to the Vermont State University’s Castleton campus, which has been placed under a shelter-in-place order due to the ongoing investigation. Notably, this unfortunate event coincides with a fall break for students, leading to the closure of the school and the cancellation of all scheduled events.
Campus officials have issued a notice, urging all members to adhere to the shelter-in-place directive while keeping a vigilant eye on their emails for updates and information regarding available counseling resources.
The Vermont State Police were dispatched to the Delaware and Hudson Rail Trail near 1587 South St. in Castleton around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday after receiving a report about a deceased woman in the vicinity. Upon their arrival, troopers discovered the lifeless victim at the scene.
A witness on the scene reported hearing gunshots before observing a potential suspect heading northbound along the trail in the direction of the university campus. Despite conducting a thorough house-to-house search of the Rail Trail area that Thursday evening, the Vermont State Police were unable to locate the individual.
VSP Maj. Daniel Trudeau expressed, “We have no idea where this gentleman, the suspect, took off.” The witness described the person of interest as a white male with short, dark hair, standing at approximately 5 feet, 10 inches tall, and wearing a dark gray T-shirt while carrying a black backpack.