Police investigating suspicious death in western Vermont, searching for ‘armed and dangerous’ suspect

Police are investigating a suspicious death that occurred Thursday afternoon in the western Vermont town of Castleton.

Vermmont State Police said 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 said they found a woman dead at the scene.

A witness told police 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.

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.

The woman’s body will be brought to the chief medical examiner’s office in Burlington so an autopsy can be conducted to determine the cause and manner of her death, state police said.

No further details were released. State police said they will provide updates as the investigation continues.

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.