A woman who was found shot and killed on a trail near the Vermont State University’s Castleton Campus earlier this week was a former dean, authorities have said.
Honoree Fleming, 77, was identified as the victim of what authorities have determined to be a homicide. She was a retired dean of education at the school, which was formerly Castleton University.
She was found dead Thursday on the D&H Rail Trail, “a mile from the campus she called home,” the university wrote in a Facebook post.
“Honoree was a part of the Castleton family and was beloved by faculty, staff, and students,” the university said. “Scores of students benefited from Dr. Fleming’s teachings and research.”
“This is an unbelievable tragedy for the Castleton campus and for all of Vermont State University. Honoree will be deeply missed,” the university added.
Police responded to the Rail Trail near 1660 South St. around 4:30 p.m. Thursday after receiving a call regarding a woman who had died. Fleming was found dead at the scene, according to a statement from Vermont State Police.
A witness in the area reported there was a possible suspect walking northbound on the Rail Trail toward the university’s campus after gunshots were heard. The witness described the suspect as a man roughly 5 feet 10 inches tall with short, dark-colored hair. He was last seen wearing a dark-gray t-shirt and carrying a black backpack, state police said.
“The suspect is considered armed and dangerous,” the statement noted. “The public is urged to remain vigilant and alert for suspicious person(s) and activities and to report anything suspicious to the Vermont State Police at 802-773-9101.”
Anyone who was on the Rail Trail around the time of the shooting and may have observed the man is urged to call Vermont State Police. Tips may be submitted anonymously online as well.
Vermont State Police are also requesting the public and businesses in the Castleton area to review their surveillance systems and game cameras for the possible suspect from the early afternoon to evening hours of Thursday.
An autopsy completed Friday at the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington determined the cause of Fleming’s death was a gunshot wound to the head and the manner of her death was homicide, according to Vermont State Police.
This investigation is ongoing and involves members of the Vermont State Police Major Crime Unit, Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Field Force Division, Crime Scene Search Team, Victim Services Unit and Castleton Police Department.
The university was closed Friday, and a shelter-in-place order was issued for everyone on the campus in Castleton. All events at the school were cancelled amid the ongoing investigation as well.
Before Fleming joined Castleton, she was a faculty member at Trinity College, Middlebury College and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She lived in Castleton with her husband, Ron Powers, a Pulitzer Prize-winning and New York Times bestselling author, the university said.
“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,” the university said.
