A Vermont man was arraigned Thursday in Lamoille County in connection with a fatal shooting in Belvidere. Sixty-one-year-old Michael Chadwick, of Brownington, pleaded not guilty to one count of second-degree murder after police say he shot and killed 42-year-old Mark Benjamin on Wednesday.The judge ordered Chadwick held without bail.Kline found probable cause to keep Chadwick behind bars for now, pending an upcoming hearing. Court documents say Chadwick was in a “long-term relationship” with Susan Benjamin, the mother of the victim, Mark Benjamin. The relationship recently ended, and she filed a relief from abuse order against Chadwick. Police say the shooting took place at a seasonal camp on Bog Road in Belvidere, owned by Susan Benjamin. Chadwick had been living at the camp for over a week. Chadwick was under court order to stay away from the camp and was upset about the decision by authorities. According to police, he told his daughter and friend that if police wanted him out, he would kill himself.Authorities believe Mark Benjamin encountered Chadwick at the campsite Wednesday afternoon, at which point Chadwick opened fire, hitting Benjamin in the neck. The 42-year-old victim was later pronounced dead by first responders.The chief medical examiners office in Burlington ruled the cause of death was from a bullet wound to the neck and classified it as a homicide on Thursday afternoon. When state police arrived at the scene, they found Chadwick barricaded in the camp and refusing to come out.“We also had troopers who were in active and ongoing contact with that person,” said Adam Silverman, the public information officer for Vermont State Police. “That process lasted for a little more than two hours, and at about 4:30 in the afternoon, we were able to successfully and peacefully resolve that situation.”At his arraignment, Chadwick was ordered to have no contact with the victim’s family. The investigation is ongoing. Chadwick is due back in court sometime next week.
A Vermont man was arraigned Thursday in Lamoille County in connection with a fatal shooting in Belvidere.
Sixty-one-year-old Michael Chadwick, of Brownington, pleaded not guilty to one count of second-degree murder after police say he shot and killed 42-year-old Mark Benjamin on Wednesday.
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The judge ordered Chadwick held without bail.
Kline found probable cause to keep Chadwick behind bars for now, pending an upcoming hearing.
Court documents say Chadwick was in a “long-term relationship” with Susan Benjamin, the mother of the victim, Mark Benjamin.
The relationship recently ended, and she filed a relief from abuse order against Chadwick.
Police say the shooting took place at a seasonal camp on Bog Road in Belvidere, owned by Susan Benjamin. Chadwick had been living at the camp for over a week.
Chadwick was under court order to stay away from the camp and was upset about the decision by authorities. According to police, he told his daughter and friend that if police wanted him out, he would kill himself.
Authorities believe Mark Benjamin encountered Chadwick at the campsite Wednesday afternoon, at which point Chadwick opened fire, hitting Benjamin in the neck.
The 42-year-old victim was later pronounced dead by first responders.
The chief medical examiners office in Burlington ruled the cause of death was from a bullet wound to the neck and classified it as a homicide on Thursday afternoon.
When state police arrived at the scene, they found Chadwick barricaded in the camp and refusing to come out.
“We also had troopers who were in active and ongoing contact with that person,” said Adam Silverman, the public information officer for Vermont State Police. “That process lasted for a little more than two hours, and at about 4:30 in the afternoon, we were able to successfully and peacefully resolve that situation.”
At his arraignment, Chadwick was ordered to have no contact with the victim’s family.
The investigation is ongoing. Chadwick is due back in court sometime next week.
