The Vermont State Police has arrested a suspect on a charge of second-degree murder arising from the death Tuesday morning of a person in Morristown. The victim has been identified as Zachary Barbeau, 29, of Hinesburg, who was known by friends as Fern Feather. Preliminary investigation indicates Barbeau was stabbed to death.

Seth Brunell, 43, who is transient, was ordered jailed without bail pending arraignment scheduled for 12:30 p.m. today in Hyde Park. 

Investigators determined that Brunell met Barbeau several days ago, and the two had been spending time together. The Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department encountered the two in a vehicle at about 8:05 a.m. Tuesday, April 12 in the parking lot of the Lamoille North Supervisory Union. Deputies checked on Barbeau and Brunell and waited for them to leave the parking lot. Sometime before 10:15 a.m., Barbeau and Brunell arrived in a vehicle on Duhamel Road near the intersection of Cadys Falls Road. 

According to the affidavit of probable cause, Brunell told police he was defending himself after Barbeau made a sexual advance and attacked him. Investigators observed no injuries or evidence of a struggle or an assault on Brunell.

Following processing of the scene by the Vermont State Police Crime Scene Search Team, Barbeau’s body was brought Tuesday evening to the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington for an autopsy, which is scheduled to take place Wednesday.