Victims had criminal arrest records

By Guy Page

As the investigation continues into Sunday night’s shooting in Leicester, the Vermont State Police are identifying the deceased victim as Scott Lanpher, 35, and the injured man as his 31-year-old brother, Larry Lanpher Jr. Both men lived on the property on U.S. Route 7 where the shooting occurred.

Both victims had criminal arrest records, according to a review of police, court and media records. 

Police say the shooting was a targeted event directed at the Lanpher brothers. Police are continuing to seek a suspect or suspects tied to this incident, along with a black Nissan sedan that was seen leaving the area after the shooting.

An autopsy performed Tuesday, June 6 at the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington determined the cause of Scott Lanpher’s death was gunshot wounds to the upper body, and the manner of death was a homicide.

Larry Lanpher Jr. remains hospitalized at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington.

Anyone with information that could assist investigators is asked to call the VSP New Haven barracks at 802-388-4919 or leave an anonymous tip online.

Both men had several criminal arrests, police and media reports show:

Following a 2 AM April 20, 2023 crash in Leicester, Lanpher was charged with leaving the scene of an accident. Lanpher’s car collided with a truck driven by Travis Hornbeck of Shoreham, who was chasing Lanpher. Earlier, Hornbeck had accused Lanpher of owing him money. After the crash resulting in injury to Hornbeck, Lanpher fled the scene before police arrived, police say. 

April 10, 2023, Lanpher was cited for DUI-drugs, court officials say. The court affidavit said Lanpher claimed he had smoked marijuana that was laced with another substance. He failed to appear for a subsequent court appearance and a warrant had been issued for his arrest. 

June 24, 2021, Lanpher allegedly shot at a parked car in Middlebury, resulting in multiple charges. 

April, 2021 police arrested Lanpher on an active arrest warrant while he was driving on Rte. 7 in Rutland County. 

April, 2012 – police arrested Lanpher, then 24, for theft of heavy equipment and batteries from an excavating business in Salisbury. 

Larry Lanpher was cited for driving with a criminally suspended license in August, 2021. He also was taken into custody on an outstanding arrest warrant following a traffic stop by Middlebury Police on Route 7 on Aug. 3, 2022. 

Also, Larry Lanpher had a criminal court date set for Monday, June 5 – a ‘status conference’ in Addison County Superior Court on a charge of possession of 2.5 grams or more of cocaine, court officials said today.