A Vermont Superior Court judge Wednesday, July 17, afternoon signed an arrest warrant for Jakiy Tramaine Corey Keith, 24, of Hartford, Connecticut, arising from the Feb. 2 shooting death of Kayla Wright.

Wright’s body was found in an oil drum in a river. 

The warrant approved by Judge Rory Thibault is for a charge of first-degree murder and carries a bail amount of $250,000.

Keith remains in custody on federal drug charges, and the timing of his arraignment in the Vermont murder case is unclear.

Earlier Wednesday afternoon, suspects Aaron Camp and Terron “Josh” Pendleton appeared before Judge Thibault and invoked their right to wait 24 hours before entering pleas to their charges. Pendleton was ordered jailed for lack of $25,000 bail, and Camp was held on $10,000 bail. Their next court hearings were to take place Thursday, July 18.

The state police’s investigation revealed that Keith shot Wright multiple times early in the morning on Feb. 2, inside a home on Vermont Route 100 in Troy. The shooting arose from a dispute related to drug trafficking in northern Vermont. 

Police say Camp and Pendleton assisted with cleaning up the crime scene following the shooting. Camp assisted Keith in disposing of Wright’s body in a large toolbox in the area of Big Falls on the Missisquoi River in Troy.

Dollar General robbed in Lyndonville

On the evening of July 16, 2024, at approximately 9:37 PM, the Vermont State Police at the St. Johnsbury Barracks responded to a reported robbery at the Dollar General in Lyndonville. According to initial findings, an unidentified female suspect entered the store, demanded money from the register, and threatened the employees with force. The suspect fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of cash. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

The investigation is ongoing, and the police have released photos from the store’s surveillance cameras. Authorities are urging anyone with information about the incident or the suspect’s identity to contact the Vermont State Police at the St. Johnsbury Barracks.

Newport ambulance involved in collision, no injuries reported

by Daniel Duric, for the Newport Dispatch

JAY — A Newport ambulance collided with an SUV at the intersection of VT-242 and Cross Road on Sunday afternoon, causing moderate damage but resulting in no injuries.

According to the Vermont State Police, the incident occurred at 4:10 p.m. when an ambulance driven by Dominick Turcotte, 28, of Newport, was responding to a crash with possible injuries in Lowell.

The ambulance, with lights and sirens on, did not come to a complete stop at the intersection, striking a Hyundai Tucson driven by 63-year-old Keith Fitzgerald of Kings Park, New York.

The collision caused Fitzgerald’s vehicle to sustain moderate damage to the right side and come to rest in a ditch.

Despite the impact, Fitzgerald was checked by the ambulance crew and state troopers and reported no injuries.

The ambulance, which was followed by two state police cars also responding to the Lowell incident, suffered minor front-end damage.

The emergency vehicles were able to continue to the initial call after additional units from both agencies arrived to assist at the crash site.

Jay Fire Department and Grenier’s Towing also provided assistance during the incident.

Traffic was briefly disrupted but resumed normally after the scene was cleared.

NH resident sentenced for conspiracy to sell heroin in VT

The Attorney General’s Office announced that Arelis Vazquez-Arce, 34, of Lebanon, New Hampshire, was sentenced today in Vermont Superior Court, Windsor Criminal Division, after pleading guilty to one felony count of Conspiracy to Sell Heroin.

The Court, Judge Heather Gray presiding, sentenced the defendant by plea agreement to two to five years in jail all suspended with four years of probation, which include conditions of electronic monitoring, engagement in substance abuse counseling and treatment, and to not possess regulated substances. The charge for which the defendant was today sentenced stems from charges originally filed by the Attorney General’s Office in 2019.

Retail thief knocks employee to the ground, Burlington police say

On July 22, 2024, at approximately 8:08am, officers with the Burlington Police Department were notified of an assault that took place on Park Street.

Investigation determined Danny Phillips, 38, of Berlin, stole an item from a business and exited the store without paying for the merchandise. An employee of the business confronted Phillips in the store parking lot. Phillips assaulted the victim, knocking the victim to the ground, causing injury.

Phillips was taken into custody for the charges of Simple Assault and Retail Theft.

BPD find dead man floating of Oakledge Park

On July 20, 2024, at approximately 10:54am officers with the Burlington Police Department responded to the area of Oakledge Park for a possible person floating in the water.

While en route, BPD officers were informed the United States Coast Guard recovered the person and determined them to be deceased. The decedent was identified as Christopher Ramirez, 22, of North Carolina and next of kin was notified.

The case is currently under investigation by BPD’s Detective Services Bureau and is not believed to be suspicious at this time. The cause and manner of death are pending the review of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.