A 22-year-old man has been arrested for killing his father, stepmother and teenage stepbrother who were found shot to death in their Vermont home, police said Friday, a triple homicide that was only discovered Sunday morning. ABC News Report.
Vermont State Police Officers were responded to a report of a “suspicious person” and during the investigation arrived at a residence in Pawlet, Vermont. Inside, they found the bodies of Brian Crossman Sr., 46, a Pawlet public official, his wife, Erica Crossman, 41; and their son, Colin Taft, 13, who was also Crossman Sr.’s stepson. They were murdered in their home early Sunday morning, according to police.
Brian Crossman Jr., 22, of Granville, New York, is now charged with three counts of aggravated murder for shooting and killing his father, stepmother and stepbrother, Vermont State Police said.
“The Vermont State Police investigation identified significant evidence linking Crossman Jr. to the murders, including digital data, statements, injuries and interviews,” the police statement said.
Authorities have not yet revealed the motive for the killings.
New York State Police arrested Crossman Jr. and took him into custody. On Friday afternoon, he was arraigned in court in Lake George, New York, on a charge of being a fugitive from justice. Police said the charge is connected to an arrest warrant obtained by Vermont State Police for aggravated murder charges.
He is being held without bail and will have his next hearing next week in New York. Attorney information for Crossman Jr. was not immediately available, and his extradition to Vermont is still being arranged.
The Vermont Chief Medical Examiner’s Office ruled all three deaths as homicides, confirming that each victim had died from gunshot wounds. Brian Crossman Sr. was shot in the head and torso, Erica Crossman was shot in the head, and Colleen Taft was shot with multiple gunshot wounds.
Brian Crossman Sr., who recently joined the Pawlet Select Board, was remembered by board Chairman Mike Beecher as a “friend and neighbor” and a “hardworking community member.”
“The tragedy that has befallen her and her family has also deeply affected our community, and we are shocked and mourning,” Beecher said in a statement Tuesday. “Our hearts go out to everyone affected by this devastating loss. The City of Pawlet will get through this as we always do during difficult times — by supporting each other and moving forward.”
The town of Pawlet, with about 1,400 residents, is located in western Vermont, along the New York State border.
