Two NEC athletic games against Castleton State University were suspended this past weekend.
NEC Athletic Director Dave Decew was notified that the NEC Women’s Rugby team that was scheduled to play Castleton at home on Oct. 7, and NEC’s Women’s Soccer team that was set to play at Castleton on Oct. 8, were unable to take place.
“They reached out saying they had a campus issue and all on-campus events were suspended,” Decew said.
Local and state officials are investigating a homicide near the Castleton University campus, according to Vermont State Police.
The former Dean of Education at Castleton, Honoree Fleming, 77, was found dead at 4:30 pm on Thursday, Oct. 5 on a trail near campus. The suspect has not been found yet, and according to a statement posted online by Vermont State Police he “considered armed and dangerous.”
Witnesses describe the person of interest as a white male with short red hair, and is approximately 5’10”, officials said.
Castleton students were sent home but returned to campus this past weekend, and classes resumed on Tuesday, Oct. 10.
It is unclear whether the games will be rescheduled.