Vermont town official, his wife and her 13-year-old son found shot to death in their home, police say

A Vermont town official, his wife and her son were found shot to death in their home over the weekend, state police said.

Police identified them Tuesday as Brian Crossman, 46, a selectboard member in Pawlet; Erica Crossman, 41; and Colin Taft, 13. The town of about 1,400 people is near the New York state line.

They were found dead Sunday, Vermont State Police said in a news release Tuesday night. All three deaths were ruled homicides.

Police said their investigation was active and no one was in custody. However, CBS affiliate WCAX reports sources say police have  identified a person of interest who is a relative of the victims. 

State police said autopsies determined Brian Crossman's cause of death was gunshot wounds to the head and torso, Erica Crossman died from a gunshot wound to the head, and Colin Taft's cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds.

Members of the Pawlet selectboard, who are elected by residents to oversee town expenditures and enact ordinances, held their regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday night. Crossman's seat was vacant and there were flowers at his place at the table.

Mike Beecher, chairperson of the five-member board, read a statement: "Brian Crossman was a friend and neighbor, a hardworking community member who just this year stepped up to join the Pawlet Selectboard.

"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."

Neighbors told WCAX that the shooting left them shaken.

"It's very hard to comprehend. It just hasn't sunk in. We just visited the family three nights before the deaths," next-door neighbor Oliver Ihasz told the station.

Brian and Erica Crossman got married in June of this year, the Bennington Banner reported.

In:
• Homicide
• Vermont