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A woman was shot to death on Thursday on a popular trail in the western Vermont town of Castleton, and state police say they are searching for an armed and dangerous suspect.
Vermont State Police initially announced they were investigating a suspicious death after they received a call around 4:30 p.m. Thursday about a deceased female on the rail trail near 1587 South Street in Castleton. When troopers arrived, they found a woman dead at the scene. She was identified on Friday as 77-year-old Honoree Fleming, of Castleton.
An autopsy was completed Friday and determined Fleming's cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head. Her manner of death was ruled a homicide.
According to police, a witness told troopers that a possible suspect was northbound on the rail trail, walking toward the Castleton University campus after gunshots were heard.
The witness described the suspect as a male, about 5'10" tall, with short, dark-colored hair. He was last seen wearing a dark gray T-shirt and was carrying a black backpack.
Police said the suspect should be considered "armed and dangerous," and asked the public to remain alert and to contact them if they see anyone acting suspiciously.
They are also asking the public and businesses in the Castleton area to review their surveillance systems for any signs of the suspect. The timeframe they are looking for spans from early afternoon into the evening hours on Thursday.
The Vermont State University - Castleton campus canceled events and had students under a shelter-in-place order due to the investigation. Many students were already off campus for fall break.
A Vermont State University spokesperson identified Fleming as a beloved member of the school community, saying they were deeply saddened to learn that the retired Dean of Education was killed on the D&H rail trail a mile from the Castleton campus.
"Honoree was a beloved dean and professor at Castleton and an impressive researcher with countless papers published. Faculty, staff, and students alike loved her," the spokesperson said. "Honoree was a true member of the Castleton family."
“Our hearts go out to the members of our community who taught with Honoree and had her as a beloved teacher during their time at Castleton. Our deepest sympathies go to her husband, Ron, family, and friends," Vermont State President Mike Smith said in a statement. "This is an unbelievable tragedy for the Castleton campus and for all of Vermont State University. Honoree will be deeply missed.”
Fleming lived in Castleton with her husband, Ron Powers, a Pulitzer Prize-winning and New York Times bestselling author, school officials said.
The section of the rail trail that had been closed is now reopen.
An investigation into Fleming's death remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call state police at 802-773-9101. Anonymous tips can also be submitted online at https://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.
Castleton, a town with around 4,500 residents, is located about 15 miles west of Rutland and about seven miles east of the New York/Vermont border.
