In the small town of Hardwick, Vermont, a dispute between a landlord and his tenant on November 8, 2023, ended in a tragic loss of life. Robert Marquis, a 52-year-old White male, was fatally shot in his own home at 76 Elm Street. The man responsible for his death was his 55-year-old tenant, Donald Brochu Jr. The disagreement that led to this violent act was reportedly over the consumption of alcohol within the residence.
According to another tenant who overheard the exchange, Marquis had
calmly asked Brochu not to drink in the house. Brochu's response was a chilling "No alcohol, huh?" immediately followed by the sound of a gunshot. After shooting Marquis in the head, Brochu fled the scene in his vehicle, heading towards the town of Walden.
Police were alerted to the shooting around 5 p.m. and began a search for Brochu. His crashed vehicle was discovered later that evening. Troopers eventually located Brochu walking on a nearby road, armed with a handgun. A tense standoff ensued, with crisis negotiators attempting to de-escalate the situation for over 20 minutes. Despite their efforts, and after police fired less-lethal rounds, Brochu took his own life with a gunshot to the head.
Robert Marquis was transported to the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, where he fought for his life for several days. He ultimately succumbed to his injuries over the weekend. An autopsy later confirmed that the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head, and the manner of death was ruled a homicide. In a final act of generosity, Marquis's family honored his decision to be an organ donor, a choice that saved at least three other lives. As the suspect in the homicide had died by suicide, the investigation by the Vermont State Police was to be turned over to the Caledonia County State's Attorney's Office for review upon its completion.
