Law forbids payout, Life insurance company asks court to hold onto it

Brian Crossman Jr. (left) is charged with killing his father and stepmother (right), and his stepbrother.

An earlier version of this article appears in the Caledonian-Record

The insurance company that had provided coverage for a Pawlet man who was part of a triple homicide at his home last fall, is asking the federal court in Vermont to intercede on how to handle the money earmarked for the accused killer.

Brian M. Crossman Jr., 23, of Granville, N.Y., has pleaded not guilty to three counts of aggravated murder in the death of his father, stepmother and her son. If convicted on any of the charges, Crossman will face a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

The son might normally be entitled to about $258,000 in life insurance proceeds from a routine death of his father, but federal and Vermont law do not allow a person involved in the death of another person to benefit financially, according to court papers.

Brian Crossman Sr., who had worked for Green Mountain Power as a lineman, had two insurance policies, each valued at about $258,000, court records show.

Crossman, who served on the Pawlet Selectboard, had listed his new wife of 3 months, Erica Pawlusiak Crossman, as his latest beneficiary, but she also was killed in the shooting spree the weekend of Sept. 14-15, 2024.

Unum Life Insurance Company of America has now petitioned the U.S. District Court in Burlington to take possession of the $258,000 in proceeds until a proper distribution of the money can be determined for the money earmarked for the arrested son.

Unum did pay the other $258,000 in insurance proceeds to Rachael Crossman, the daughter of the dead man and sister to the defendant in the criminal court case, records show. She lives in Washington County, New York.

The insurance company in Portland, Maine, said in court papers that its lawsuit is designed “to avoid multiple liability and unnecessary suits and costs incidental to them.”

Unum said the Group Policy states that instead of making a death payment to the estate, the insurance company has the right to make a payment to the first surviving family members.

The order is spouse, child/children, mother or father, and sisters or brothers, the lawsuit said.

Unum said it has reached out to Brian Crossman Jr., about the life insurance policy, but he failed to respond. He is being held at the Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield.

A lawyer in Portland, Maine, representing Unum, said he was unable to speak for the company or discuss how often this kind of case occurs in the insurance business.

Crossman Jr., who has a history of mental health issues, has been held since shortly after the weekend shootings that were reported about 3:45 a.m. Sept. 15, 2024, at the home on Vermont 133, authorities have said.

Rutland County State’s Attorney Ian Sullivan said Thursday the state judge has said he wants the triple homicide case ready for trial by February 2026. It is planned for Rutland County.

Sullivan said lawyers are now taking depositions of potential witnesses.

Vermont State Police said they had responded to the house on Sept. 15, 2024, and troopers reported they found three dead people: Brian Crossman Sr., 46, his new wife, Erica (Pawlusiak) Crossman, 41, and her son, Colin Taft, 13, all of Pawlet.

The younger Crossman, who has a history of psychiatric issues, including schizophrenia, maintained he had gone for a walk at midnight and came back to the Pawlet house to find the three dead relatives, state police said. There were multiple shotguns throughout the house, police said. His bloody clothes were seized, but he was released pending further investigation, police said.

The medical examiner determined Brian Crossman Sr. died from gunshot wounds to the head and torso, Erica Crossman died from a gunshot wound to the head, and Colin Taft died from multiple gunshot wounds. Crossman, the father, had been called out multiple times by GMP for power outages and had arrived home from his last call about 12:15 a.m. Sept. 15, 2024, police said.

All three deaths were ruled homicides by the medical examiner. Both a 12-gauge and a 20-gauge shotgun were believed used, police said.

New York State Police arrested the younger Crossman on Sept. 20, 2024, as a fugitive from justice as he was getting discharged from the Glens Falls (N.Y) Hospital, where he had been admitted for psychiatric issues, officials said. He was eventually extradited back to Vermont for his arraignment in early October.