A Vermont State Police probe into two suspicious fires last week in Woodbury is now being called a homicide investigation.
Police said two bodies were found in separate residences on Bliss Road Oct. 30 after firefighters had extinguished blazes at the adjacent homes, about 150 feet apart. The Vermont chief medical examiner’s office said Tuesday afternoon it had positively identified David Thompson as one of the victims, after having previously identified Carol Fradette as the other.
The medical examiner said Thompson, 48, died of multiple gunshot wounds and that Fradette, 29, died of blunt-force trauma and a single gunshot. Both were ruled homicides.
Two dogs were also found shot to death in the home in which Thompson was found.
According to a WCAX report, Thompson and Fradette had been dating for some time. And citing comments from unidentified neighbors, WPTZ said that over the past several years there had been reports of possible drug activity in the area and that investigators say the crime could be drug related.
The Woodbury Fire Department said it received a report of a fire on Bliss Road a little after 11 p.m. on Oct. 30. While battling that blaze, firefighters also noticed smoke coming from a nearby house. Once the two fires had been extinguished, firefighters found human remains in each of the damaged structures.
State police investigated the deaths with the Fire and Explosions Investigation Unit, the Major Crime Unit and the Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
The circumstance surrounding the fires would clearly seem to indicate they were set. “Two houses that are 150 feet apart are both on fire with bodies in them, I would consider suspicious,” said state police Capt. Dan Trudeau, the major crime unit commander.
Thompson had rented one of the two homes, both of which were owned by the same person, according to police. The owner later spoke with investigators.
Fradette was convicted in 2016 of embezzlement and petit larceny for manipulating lottery winnings and was ordered to serve 60 days in jail and make restitution.
The Vermont State Police investigation is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call the Middlesex Barracks at 802-229-9191.
Read the story on VTDigger here: Both deaths in Woodbury blazes are ruled homicides.
