VT - Dr. Honoree Fleming, 77, Homicide, Castleton, 5 Oct 2023

[bestill]

Vermont State Police provided an update at 7:30pm Friday evening saying, Thursday night's suspicious death in Castleton is a homicide, and the victim is 77 year old Dr. Honoree Fleming. Dr. Fleming was a former dean of education at Castleton. A Friday afternoon autopsy ruled the cause of death as a gun shot wound to the head.

Police ask residents to check surveillance systems after suspicious death near Castleton University

Vermont State Police provided an update at 7:30pm Friday evening saying, Thursday night's suspicious death in Castleton is a homicide, and the victim is 77 year old Honoree Fleming.

www.mynbc5.com

 

[bestill]

Honoree Fleming, a retired university dean, shot to death on Vermont trail

Vermont State Police are asking the public, businesses and hunters near a state university campus to review their surveillance systems after Honoree Fleming, a retired dean and professor who was married to best-selling author Ron Powers, was found shot to death on a rail trail.

apnews.com

"Fleming was a beloved retired dean of education and researcher “with countless papers published,” the university said in a statement Friday.
She also was the wife of Powers, who co-wrote the book “Flags of Our Fathers,” about the men involved in the famous flag-raising during the 1945 Battle of Iwo Jima. A Pulitzer Prize winner in 1973 for criticism, he also wrote a biography of Mark Twain and more recently, “No One Cares About Crazy People: The Chaos and Heartbreak of Mental Health in America,” about his sons’ battles with schizophrenia.
“There is an area-wide dragnet out for her killer,” Powers posted online Friday. “Police believe that it was random, but all possibilities remain open.”
He added, “Those of you who knew her know that she was beautifully named. I have never known a more sterling heart and soul than hers. She has taken far more than half my own heart and soul with her.”

 

[vlbay]

Oh, how awful. I have family in Castleton and...well, not much happens in Castleton. I've been on that rail trail, as well, and it is a very quiet place. My heart goes out to Dr. Flemings's family.

Wasn't there a couple randomly shot on a trail in New Hampshire over the past year?

 

[bestill]

Oh, how awful. I have family in Castleton and...well, not much happens in Castleton. I've been on that rail trail, as well, and it is a very quiet place. My heart goes out to Dr. Flemings's family.

Wasn't there a couple randomly shot on a trail in New Hampshire over the past year?

Maybe this one? Man arrested in deaths of New Hampshire couple found shot near hiking trail

 

[vlbay]

Maybe this one? Man arrested in deaths of New Hampshire couple found shot near hiking trail

Yes, that's it! Thank you.

 

[muddlehead]

Well, just like the NH couple a few years ago, this one's a wow.

 

[RickshawFan]

Oh, how awful. I have family in Castleton and...well, not much happens in Castleton. I've been on that rail trail, as well, and it is a very quiet place. My heart goes out to Dr. Flemings's family.

Wasn't there a couple randomly shot on a trail in New Hampshire over the past year?

We don't know if the Castleton case is random, though. It could be an acquaintance?

 

[realanastasia]

She was killed by a gunshot to the head, which makes my first thought (a stray bullet from a hunter)less likely to be true. As for acquaintance, stranger, or family member, I am not sure—the murder of Steven and Dejswende Reid on a walking trail in NH seems to have truly been a random act by a total stranger, so it sadly seems all too possible that could be the case here. What a tragic loss for her loved ones to bear!

 

[RickshawFan]

She was killed by a gunshot to the head, which makes my first thought (a stray bullet from a hunter)less likely to be true. As for acquaintance, stranger, or family member, I am not sure—the murder of Steven and Dejswende Reid on a walking trail in NH seems to have truly been a random act by a total stranger, so it sadly seems all too possible that could be the case here. What a tragic loss for her loved ones to bear!

I think a hunter is unlikely: it's kinda in town? IMO random murder isn't that common, and it's a small town.

 

[nao]

Moo..being a doctor comes with people holding you responsible for many things that are really not in your control. And private life must be kept hidden because of social expectations...moo

 

[RickshawFan]

Moo..being a doctor comes with people holding you responsible for many things that are really not in your control. And private life must be kept hidden because of social expectations...moo

She wasn't a medical doctor. She was an academic Dean at Vermont State University/Castleton.

Here's the University's FB page with reference to the case:

Vermont State University Castleton Campus

Vermont State University Castleton Campus, Castleton, Vermont. 11,767 likes · 4,251 talking about this · 32,168 were here. Welcome to Vermont State University Castleton Campus!

www.facebook.com

 

[iQuill]

Such a tragedy! My heart goes out to her husband and son. Also her extended family, friends and colleagues. She sounds like a wonderful and much loved woman. So sad MOO

 

[atui170]

We don't know if the Castleton case is random, though. It could be an acquaintance?

The husband has said the police believe it is random… so not definitive, but looks like that is the way it is currently being investigated. Local rumors are they really have no idea who it is. Some names thrown about at first, but doesn’t seem as though any of those have panned out. I hope that is wrong though!

I grew up in Rutland County and my family is still there. This type of violence is incredibly rare in the area… very little of this outside of drug-related crime, which does not seem highly likely in this case IMO.

 

[Mercyneal]

I think a hunter is unlikely: it's kinda in town? IMO random murder isn't that common, and it's a small town.

Another possibility is that it was a hired killer

 

[Mercyneal]

The husband has said the police believe it is random… so not definitive, but looks like that is the way it is currently being investigated. Local rumors are they really have no idea who it is. Some names thrown about at first, but doesn’t seem as though any of those have panned out. I hope that is wrong though!

I grew up in Rutland County and my family is still there. This type of violence is incredibly rare in the area… very little of this outside of drug-related crime, which does not seem highly likely in this case IMO.

The husband is the only one saying it was random. <modsnip>

 

[Shamrock1]

<modsnip - quoted post was removed>

Our family has had multiple sudden deaths and the number of inappropriate comments/gifts gets worse with each one. It’s exhausting. For starters…lots of people mistake the “sad crying” emoji with the “laughing so hard I’m crying emoji.” This is not a millenial/gen x thing, by the way. I’ve half a mind to post “NO EMOJIS” when we announce the next death.

<modsnip - response to quoted post>

 

[Beans]

Hmm. The red hair should presumably help them narrow down the suspect pool.

“Witnesses on the Rail trail describe the person of interest as a white male having short RED hair, not dark hair as reported earlier, approximately 5'10", last seen wearing a dark gray t-shirt, and carrying a black backpack. Anyone on the rail trail around this time who may have observed the male are asked to call the Vermont State Police.”

Update: Vermont State Police investigation into death of Honoree Fleming continues in Castleton

STATE OF VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY VERMONT STATE POLICE Vermont State Police investigation into death of Honoree F...

vtstatepolice.blogspot.com

 

[Mercyneal]

Hmm. The red hair should presumably help them narrow down the suspect pool.

“Witnesses on the Rail trail describe the person of interest as a white male having short RED hair, not dark hair as reported earlier, approximately 5'10", last seen wearing a dark gray t-shirt, and carrying a black backpack. Anyone on the rail trail around this time who may have observed the male are asked to call the Vermont State Police.”

Update: Vermont State Police investigation into death of Honoree Fleming continues in Castleton

STATE OF VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY VERMONT STATE POLICE Vermont State Police investigation into death of Honoree F...

vtstatepolice.blogspot.com

But they don't even know if this guy is a suspect.

 

[Beans]

But they don't even know if this guy is a suspect.

Apologies, it should help them narrow down the POI pool. Hopefully identifying this POI will assist in helping them to find the person responsible….

 

[LadyL]

crimes on trails are becoming too common
RIP Dr. Fleming