Church theft/ Couple charged with child cruelty
By VDC staff
The body of a 50-year-old Colorado man was found along a trail on Camel’s Hump on Wednesday morning, Oct. 28, prompting a multi-agency recovery operation. In other police news, an Arlington couple faces charges of cruelty to a child, and a St. Johnsbury man is accused of stealing and damaging religious items from a local church.
Vermont State Police are investigating the death of Jason April, 50, of Denver, Colorado, after hikers discovered his body along the Forest City Trail on Camel’s Hump in Duxbury on Wednesday morning.
Police said two hikers called authorities at approximately 11:35 a.m. after locating the body about 1.5 miles up the trail from the parking area in Huntington.
Responders hiked to the location and found April’s body. Multiple agencies assisted in recovering him from the mountain before his body was transported to the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington for an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death.
State police said there were no indications at this stage of the investigation that the death was suspicious.
The response involved the Vermont State Police, Huntington Rescue, Richmond Rescue, Waterbury Backcountry Rescue and game wardens from the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife.
The trail was closed for much of the afternoon during the recovery operation but has since reopened.
The investigation is being handled by Detective Trooper Brandon Degre of the Vermont State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Troop A West, based at the Berlin Barracks.
Arlington couple charged with cruelty to a child
Two Arlington residents, Patricia O’Dell and Raymond O’Dell, both 58, were arrested following an investigation into allegations of cruelty to a child, according to Vermont State Police.
Police said the investigation was conducted in conjunction with the Vermont Department for Children and Families. The alleged victim is a 14-year-old Arlington resident. Authorities have not released the child’s name.
On Oct. 28, both O’Dell and O’Dell were issued citations to appear in Vermont Superior Court, Bennington Criminal Division, on Oct. 29 at 12:30 p.m. to answer to the charge.
Both were issued conditions of release and released, police said.
Further details about the allegations were not provided in the information released by state police.
St. Johnsbury man accused of stealing church items
A 45-year-old St. Johnsbury man is accused of stealing and damaging religious items valued at more than $1,500 from United Community Church.
According to the St. Johnsbury Police Department, officers responded to the church at 1325 Main St. on Oct. 20 to investigate a reported theft.
Officer M. Johnson and Officer Giesing reviewed surveillance footage that allegedly showed Ryan Dedonno taking a brass Bible stand valued at approximately $1,315 from the church on Oct. 12.
Police said a separate video showed Dedonno using bolt cutters to remove the stand’s base, damaging the item. Investigators also reported that a candlestick valued at approximately $193 was taken and damaged.
Dedonno was located and arrested on Oct. 28, according to police. He was transported to the police department for processing, issued a citation on charges of grand larceny and felony unlawful mischief, and released.
The case is being handled by the St. Johnsbury Police Department.
All criminal charges described in this report are allegations. The accused are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.