On Saturday, October 7, Honoree Fleming, a retired university dean, was found dead from a gunshot wound on the Delaware & Hudson Rail Trail near Vermont State University's Castleton Campus. The renowned 77-year-old educator was married to Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ron Powers, and leaves the community, faculty, staff, and students mourning and unsettled by her murder.
According to ABC Audio, Fleming was a retired Dean of Education at Vermont State University's Castleton Campus. Prior to this, she served at institutions like Trinity College, Middlebury College, and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Her work in education, highlighted by numerous published papers and research studies, underscores her significant contribution to the field.
The authorities have initiated an extensive search for the suspect involved in the shooting, described to be a white male with short hair, 5 feet 10 inches tall, wearing a dark gray T-shirt and carrying a black backpack, as per Boston25 News. The suspect is considered armed and dangerous, and Vermont State Police urges the public to report immediately if they come across any sighting of him.
Authorities are widely appealing for surveillance footage, from business or residential areas, that might have captured the suspect between the early afternoon and evening on the day of the shooting. In a press conference reported by ABC Audio, Maj. Daniel Trudeau also requested hunters in the vicinity who might have game cameras near the walking trail to come forth.
Vermont State Police are encouraging residents to remain cautious and promptly report any suspicious activities. The Vermont State University's Castleton Campus was closed until the following Tuesday after the incident, with a shelter-in-place order in effect for on-campus students per KCRA.
