A Vermont town official, his wife and her son were found shot to death in their home over the weekend, state police said in an update on their investigation into what was initially called three suspicious deaths in Pawlet.
Vermont State Police identified the victims Tuesday as Brian Crossman, 46, a selectboard member in Pawlet; Erica Crossman, 41; and Colin Taft, 13.
The grim discovery was made Sunday morning at a residence on Vermont Route 133, after police followed up on a call reporting a suspicious person in the area. All three deaths have since been ruled homicides.
According to police, the medical examiner determined that Brian Crossman’s cause of death was gunshot wounds to the head and torso, Erica Crossman’s was a gunshot wound to the head, and Colin Taft’s was multiple gunshot wounds.
No one is currently in custody, police said.
Members of the Pawlet selectboard, who are elected by residents to oversee town expenditures and enact ordinances, held their regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday night. Crossman's seat was vacant and there were flowers at his place at the table.
Mike Beecher, chairperson of the five-member board, read a statement: “Brian Crossman was a friend and neighbor, a hardworking community member who just this year stepped up to join the Pawlet Selectboard.
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"This tragedy that struck him and his family has also hit our community hard, and we are shaken and grieving. Our hearts go out to everyone affected by this devastating loss.”
The investigation into the trio's deaths remains active and ongoing. Anyone with information that could assist investigators is asked to call state police at 802-773-9101. Anonymous tips can also be submitted online at https://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.
Pawlet is a town of about 1,400 people near the New York state line.
