Cops: Murder of Vermont man is the state capital's first in nearly a century
MONTPELIER, Vt. — A state employee and former professional basketball player has been shot dead outside an apartment complex in what police say is the first murder in Vermont’s capital in almost a century.
An arrest warrant was issued for Jayveon Caballero on a murder charge following the Sunday morning shooting in Montpelier, police said. Police were seeking Caballero in the killing of Markus Austin, whose body was found in the apartment complex’s parking lot.
Caballero is believed to have boarded a bus on Sunday in White River Junction. Police said the bus was headed to New York City but had several intermediate stops where he could have gotten off.
Caballero and Austin had been involved in an altercation outside Gustos bar in Barre earlier Sunday morning, police said. During the altercation Austin assaulted Caballero’s girlfriend, witnesses said. Caballero later confronted Austin outside Austin’s apartment and shot him, police said.
Jeff Sarpong, who said he witnessed the shooting, told CBS affiliate WCAX he awoke to an argument outside his aparmtent building and heard a gunshot.
Sarpong said the shooter appeared to show sympathy in the moments after pulling the trigger, but soon fled.
“He then just kept on asking, ‘Are you OK?’” Sarpong said. “After he noticed what he had done and that he wasn’t responsive, he just drove away.”
Caballero’s girlfriend, Desiree Cary, was arrested Sunday evening in Barre, where Caballero lives. She appeared in court Monday, pleaded not guilty to drug charges and was released.
Montpelier has about 7,500 residents, making it the nation’s least populous capital. WCAX reports that Austin played basketball for the Vermont Frost Heaves, a now-defunct minor league basketball team.
Police Chief Anthony Facos said the shooting death of Austin was the first murder in the city since the 1920s, when a woman shot her husband. He did not have additional details of that case.
