By VDC staff

A West Pawlet man who suffered life-threatening injuries in an August assault has died, and his death has been ruled a homicide, the Vermont State Police announced Friday.

Mark Ray, 54, of West Pawlet, died late Wednesday, Nov. 12, at Albany Medical Center in New York. An autopsy conducted Friday, Nov. 14, in New York determined the cause of death to be pneumonia and severe traumatic brain injury resulting from an assault. The manner of death was ruled a homicide.

State police say the investigation remains active and ongoing. No one is currently in custody. Detectives are asking anyone with information that could aid the case to contact the Rutland Barracks at 802-773-9101 or submit an anonymous tip online at vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.

Ray was first hospitalized on Sunday, Aug. 24, after troopers were called at about 9:51 AM for a report of a suspicious incident at the Newmont Slate Quarry in West Pawlet.

By the time troopers arrived, Ray, then 53, had already been transported by medical responders. He was later moved to Albany Medical Center for treatment of what investigators determined to be life-threatening injuries consistent with an assault.

VSP said it will continue to release updates as the investigation progresses.