Police investigate it as a possible hate crime
By Michael Donoghue
Vermont News First
Woodstock Police are investigating a potential hate crime after homophobic words were spray-painted on the roadside mailbox for retired Police Chief Joe Swanson and his husband Nicholas “Nico” Seldon on Saturday.
Woodstock Officer Sanuj Arora was dispatched to the home shortly before 10 a.m. after the spray-painted words were discovered, police said.
On one side of the mailbox, a homophobic slur was spray-painted, while on the other side, “swine” was used.
The incident comes just days after a state court ruled for a second time in less than two years that Swanson had been improperly demoted by Municipal Manager Eric Duffy and the Village Trustees. The case was sent back to Woodstock, but Swanson submitted his retirement as chief.
The lead investigator, Arora, did not respond to a message left by the Vermont Standard at the emergency dispatch center.
Police said in a prepared news release, “Because of the nature of the language used, the incident is being investigated as a possible bias-motivated offense, commonly referred to as a hate crime.”
In a phone call to the Vermont Standard, Interim Police Chief Chris O’Keeffe said the large mailbox was seized as evidence.
He said the vandalism appeared to have happened during the early morning hours of Saturday. One resident said he saw the vandalism as he walked past the mailbox about 7:40 a.m.
O’Keeffe said as of Saturday afternoon police did not have any person(s) of interest for the suspected bias-motivated vandalism.
O’Keeffe said police made efforts to interview neighbors and to seek out security or game cameras in the area.
Police urged any witnesses to suspicious activity in the area or who have information, surveillance footage, or other relevant evidence to contact Officer Arora. Arora can be reached at (802) 457-1420. Anonymous tips also may be submitted through the police department’s webpage.
O’Keeffe said the incident was unacceptable.
The Chairs of both the Village Trustees and Selectboard, along with Duffy, issued a statement on Saturday also condemning the vandalism.
Norm Frates Jr., chair of the selectboard, said he was alerted to the crime by Duffy. He said he worked with Duffy and Trustee Chair Lisa Lawlor as individuals to draft a condemnation of the act.
The notice said the trio was made aware of the “hateful vandalism” that targeted Seldon and Swanson and that “we unequivocally condemn this hateful act.”
It went on to say, “There is no place in our society for harassment, intimidation, and homophobic slurs against anyone. Our law enforcement agency is currently investigating this incident, and we are committed to ensuring that it is handled thoroughly and professionally.”
Lawlor told the Standard that due to the nature of the vandalism, police were classifying it as a hate crime and that an active investigation was underway.
Duffy failed to respond to both voice and text messages on Saturday and Sunday.
By law, Woodstock Police also have to notify the Vermont Attorney General’s Office of any reported hate crime.
Seldon said in an email that it is the latest in a string of outrageous conduct directed at the couple.
“In the past two years, this is the fourth time we have received anonymous homophobic ‘hate mail’ and now property vandalism. I doubt it will be the last,” he said in part.
Seldon said before October 2024, neither he nor Swanson received any such language from anyone in Vermont. He said he has been in Vermont since 2009 and Swanson since the 1980s.