Vermont Man Arrested in Connection with Sexual Assault, Murder of 82-Year-Old Neighbor Found Dumped in Woods

Law enforcement officials in Vermont said a man has been arrested in connection with the death of his neighbor, who was reported missing several days before her body was found.

On July 17, neighbors went to the house of 82-year-old Roberta Martin in Enosburg, noticed she wasn’t home and reported her missing, according to the Vermont State Police. Family members reported last hearing from Martin on July 16.

Multiple agencies assisted in a search for the elderly woman. On July 21, state police located human remains in a wooded area, which the medical examiner positively identified as belonging to Martin.

On July 22, detectives tried to locate 23-year-old Darren Martell, one of several people they were interviewing as part of the investigation.

Authorities spotted Martell in the woods and he fled after officers approached him while he was allegedly masturbating along a walking path near a school, state police officials said.

A nearby school reportedly went into lockdown as authorities began searching for Martell in the area. He was found shortly after and arrested on a charge of lewd and lascivious conduct, according to police.

As the investigation continued, authorities identified Martell, who had been living in a trailer next door to Martin’s home, as the primary suspect in Martin’s death.

Police alleged the suspect broke into the victim’s home, sexually assaulted her, dumped her remains in a wooded area, and tried to burn them, according to court records obtained by VTDigger.

Investigators collected DNA from Martin’s body, which reportedly pointed to Martin as a suspect, the records claim.

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On July 25, Martell, who was already in custody, was charged with aggravated murder, authorities said.

He remains held in the Vermont Department of Corrections without bond. If convicted, he faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.