Suspect arrested in Pawlet triple homicide

Staff report

On Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, Vermont State Police (VSP) obtained an arrest warrant for the suspect in the killings of three people — family members — last weekend in Pawlet.

Brian Crossman Jr., 22, of Granville, New York, faces three counts of aggravated murder arising from the fatal shootings of his father, 46-year-old Brian Crossman Sr.; his stepmother, 41-year-old Erica (Pawlusiak) Crossman; and his 13-year-old stepbrother, Colin Taft. Evidence shows the killings occurred early morning on Sunday, Sept. 15, inside the family home on Route 133 that Crossman Sr. shared with his wife and stepson.

At the time, police called the incident “isolated” and said there was “no identified threat to the community.”

After the issuance of the Vermont arrest warrant, the New York State Police located Crossman Jr. and took him into custody. He is being detained without bail. He made an initial appearance Friday afternoon in Warren County Court in Lake George, New York, on a charge of being a fugitive from justice. Arrangements for his extradition to Vermont remain pending.

VSP will release an update once Crossman Jr.’s arraignment in Vermont has been scheduled.

Evidence

The VSP investigation identified significant evidence that linked Crossman Jr. to the killings, including digital information, statements, injuries, and various interviews. 

On Sunday, Maj. Dan Trudeau, commander of the state police criminal division, told WCAX that police received a report of a “person that had some blood on them” on a “roadway.” That person was later detained, he said.

The case is outlined in an affidavit of probable cause in support of the arrest warrant, which is filed with the Criminal Division of Vermont Superior Court in Rutland.

VSP worked closely throughout this investigation with the office of Rutland County State’s Attorney Ian Sullivan. Investigators have also thanked the greater Pawlet community for their continued patience and understanding as this case unfolded throughout the week.

The victims

Police identified the Pawlet Select Board member and family members as victims in triple-homicide. 

Police said Brian Crossman, Erica Crossman and 13-year-old Colin Taft died as a result of gunshot wounds.

“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. All three deaths were ruled homicides,” a police report Tuesday night stated.

On Tuesday morning, Crossman’s colleagues on the Pawlet Select Board issued a statement mourning his death. “Brian Crossman was a friend and neighbor, a hardworking community member who just this year stepped up to join the Pawlet Selectboard,” they wrote.

“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,” read the statement, which was signed by the board’s chair, Mike Beecher. “The town of Pawlet will work to get through this as we always get through hard times, by supporting each other and doing our best to carry on.”

Teacher remembers Crossman as ‘humble’ and ‘kind’

Decades ago, JeanMarie Oakman served as Brian Crossman’s teacher and principal during her tenure at Wells Village School.

She said Crossman was a “humble, sweet, gentle boy,” the kind of kid who made others feel at home at the small, rural school.

“He looked after all of his cousins and relatives. He was so kind to his sister,” Oakman said, noting that Crossman was part of a large “salt of the Earth” family. 

After falling out of touch, she said, she caught up with Crossman at a wedding in recent years, and she “beamed with pride” to see how well he was doing. 

“Imagine, he wanted to sit with his old teaching principal,” she recalled. “I remember leaving that wedding thinking, ‘what a remarkable human being’.”

Now, she was questioning how such a tragedy could befall Crossman and his family. “Why them? I can’t fathom. It’s been very upsetting,” she said.

Ethan Weinstein/VTDigger contributed to this reporting.