by Mike Donoghue, Vermont News First
A 33-year-old Massachusetts man wanted for a double stabbing that left one person dead this week and another injured, was arrested by the Vermont State Police and Essex County Sheriff’s Department in the Caledonia County town of Lunenburg today.
Kevin Digregorio of Randolph, Mass. was found sleeping in a blue SUV in a pull-off area along U.S. 2 about 1.5 miles from the Lancaster, N.H. border about 10:45 a.m., officials said.
Digregorio is charged in Plymouth County (Mass.) with the fatal stabbing of William Hewlett, 59, in Brockton, Mass. on Monday evening, officials said.
The second victim, Christopher Kemmett, 61, was treated and released from South Shore Hospital, according to officials.
Essex County Sheriff Trevor Colby had seen a blue SUV parked on the side of the road when he was enroute to a call Wednesday morning. He later heard Vermont State Police talking about a wanted car that matched the description of the SUV, police said.
VSP Detective Sgt. Lyle Decker said Massachusetts State Police reported they believed the suspect was in the Waterford area about 6:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Officials said Colby alerted the uniform division of the Vermont State Police in St. Johnsbury, who also had their SWAT unit in the area.
Deputy Sheriff Matthew Thomas later drove past the scene in an unmarked sheriff’s cruiser to ensure the SUV was still there.
The Essex County sheriff’s deputies sealed off both ends of U.S. 2 so there would be no motor vehicle traffic when the state police moved in for the high-risk arrest, officials said.
Digregorio was taken into custody without incident, police said.
Essex County State’s Attorney Vince Illuzzi said the plan was to lodge Digregorio at a St. Johnsbury prison on Wednesday evening. He is due to be arraigned on a fugitive from justice petition on Thursday afternoon. Illuzzi asked that Digregorio be held without bail pending his court hearing.
Officials said the veteran county sheriff reported he remembered the SUV because something did not appear right as he drove by it in the morning.
The Lunenberg community page was active on Wednesday due to the heavy police presence and concerns about safety of local residents.
Brockton Police learned of the double stabbing about 6:48 p.m. Monday and when officers arrived, they found the two injured men.
Hewlett was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton, where he was pronounced dead, officials said.
Kemmett was treated and released from South Shore Hospital, officials said.
The Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office said it expects Digregorio will be arraigned in Brockton District Court on charges of murder for the death of Hewlett and for the armed assault of Kemmett once the defendant is returned to Vermont. Other charges are possible.
The investigation into the stabbing continues, but it does not appear to be a random act, officials said.
In 2013, a Massachusetts resident named Kevin Digregorio, and of the same age, was convicted of home invasion, kidnapping and aggravated assault.