Suspect arrested in a gruesome triple murder last month

The suspect arrested in a gruesome triple murder last month in Rutland County pleaded not guilty in Vermont Thursday after being extradited from New York. Brian Crossman Jr., 23, is facing three counts of aggravated murder in the shooting deaths of his father, stepmother, and stepbrother at their home in Pawlet. “The violence that was used to perpetrate those crimes, we believe, speaks strongly towards the reasons the court should hold the defendant without bail,” Rutland County State’s Attorney Ian Sullivan told the court.  According to court paperwork, Crossman Jr. called 911 to report the incident. Police arrived to find him covered in blood. He told investigators that he had gone for a walk and returned home to find his family members dead. Police say two of the victims were shot multiple times.  Family members describe Crossman Jr. as having mental health issues and a troubled relationship with his father with previous aggressive behavior. The aggravated murder charges, the most severe under Vermont law, carry a potential penalty of life in prison without the possibility of parole.