On a late summer evening in Burlington, Vermont, the life of 32-year-old Bryan C. Rogers II of Philadelphia came to a violent and sudden end. On September 4, 2022, while sitting on a ledge in City Hall Park with his girlfriend, Rogers was shot multiple times in the back of the head at close range in what authorities have described as an "execution-style" killing. The brazen shooting, which occurred shortly before 1 a.m.
on a busy Labor Day weekend, was captured on city surveillance cameras, providing crucial evidence for the investigation that followed.
The investigation into Rogers's death led to the swift apprehension of two suspects. Christopher Crawford, a 42-year-old with a significant criminal history from Sicklerville, New Jersey, was identified as the alleged shooter. Police say he had been lying in wait in the park for about 30 minutes before approaching Rogers from behind. The getaway driver was identified as 59-year-old Joseph Craig of St. Albans, Vermont. The two men had reportedly met in prison. Following the shooting, authorities allege that Crawford got into a waiting vehicle driven by Craig and the pair fled the scene. They were arrested after a traffic stop, with the vehicle they were in matching the description of the getaway car seen on surveillance footage.
Christopher Crawford was charged with first-degree murder, and Joseph Craig was charged with aiding in the commission of first-degree murder. Both men have pleaded not guilty to the charges. While a definitive motive has not been publicly declared, law enforcement officials have stated that they believe the homicide was related to the drug trade. The case against both men is proceeding through the court system, with a motion hearing for Crawford scheduled for the fall of 2025.
