In the small town of Hancock, Vermont, a dispute between acquaintances on a quiet Sunday morning turned deadly, leaving one man dead and another facing a murder charge. On February 8, 2026, Howard Doyle, a 45-year-old man from the nearby town of Rochester, was found deceased in a vehicle on Bettis Road. The tragic events unfolded around 10:30 a.m. when police received a report of an altercation in the area.
First responders arrived at the scene to find Doyle, who had sustained multiple
gunshot wounds. An autopsy later confirmed that these injuries were the cause of his death, which was officially ruled a homicide. Initial investigations by the Vermont State Police indicated that the incident was the result of a dispute between individuals who knew each other, and they assured the public that there was no broader danger.
The investigation quickly pointed to 23-year-old Tanner Leary of Hancock as a suspect. In a significant development, Leary turned himself in to the state police at the New Haven barracks on the Tuesday following the shooting. He was subsequently arrested and charged with second-degree murder in connection with Doyle's death. Leary was arraigned in the Criminal Division of the Vermont Superior Court in Middlebury.
Further details emerged through court documents, which revealed a history of conflict between the two men. According to a police affidavit, Leary and Doyle had been involved in an altercation two days prior to the fatal shooting, during which Leary reportedly punched Doyle. On the morning of his death, Doyle had allegedly driven to Leary's property. Family members of Doyle stated that he had gone to the residence to try and smooth over an inter-family dispute. The case is now being handled by the Vermont Attorney General's Office as it moves through the legal system.
