On November 18, 2014, Jamis Lott, a 28-year-old White/Caucasian male, was at his father's home in Townshend, Vermont, simply doing his laundry. That evening, he and his 60-year-old father, Steven Lott, were both found shot to death inside the residence. The events that led to this tragic outcome began to unfold after Steven Lott decided to end his engagement to his fiancée, Robin O'Neill.
The relationship had become strained, and just days before the fatal shootings, Steven had asked O'Neill to move out of his home. On the day of the murders, Steven had reiterated to O'Neill that their wedding was off.
That night, a friend of O'Neill's received a chilling phone call. O'Neill confessed, "I just shot Steve and Jamis." She told her friend that Steven was "by my feet in a pool of blood and Jamis is under the table in his own pool of blood." This prompted the friend to contact the police. When Vermont State Police arrived at the Abby Road home, they discovered the bodies of both men in the kitchen. Jamis had been shot three times in the head, while his father had been shot twelve times in his head, chest, and groin area.
Troopers found Robin O'Neill at the home; she appeared unsteady and smelled of alcohol. Inside the house, investigators located three handguns. O'Neill was taken into custody and, during her time in a police cruiser and at the station, made several incriminating statements. She was subsequently arrested and charged with two counts of murder.
Robin O'Neill's trial took place in June 2017. The prosecution argued that she was motivated by revenge after Steven Lott broke off their engagement. The defense contended that the police investigation had been tunnel-visioned, but the evidence against O'Neill, including her confession to her friend and DNA on the firearms, was substantial. After nine hours of deliberation, the jury found Robin O'Neill guilty of aggravated murder. She received an automatic sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Her subsequent appeal to the Vermont Supreme Court was denied.
