In the quiet town of Townshend, Vermont, the life of Nor Steven Lott, a 60-year-old White male, came to a tragic and violent end on November 18, 2014. An accomplished woodworker and a lover of adventure, he was known for his extensive garden and his passion for cooking, especially meals shared with his sons. His life, however, was cut short in the home he loved, alongside his 28-year-old son, Jamis Lott.
The events of that fateful day unfolded within the walls of Steven's Abby Road home.
Responding to a call, Vermont State Police arrived to a grim scene, discovering the bodies of both father and son in the kitchen, both having suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Steven had been shot in the head, torso, and groin area, while his son had a wound to his neck. The initial call to the police was made by a friend of Robin O'Neill, Steven's 62-year-old former fiancée, who told her friend that she had shot the two men.
The investigation quickly focused on O'Neill, who was present at the scene when law enforcement arrived. According to court documents, the relationship between O'Neill and Steven Lott, which had begun the previous February and led to an engagement in July, had soured. On the very morning of the killings, Steven had ended their engagement and asked her to move out of his house. O'Neill later told investigators that she couldn't remember the specifics of what happened, only that at some point she either had a gun or picked one up and that Steven and Jamis were on the floor in a lot of blood.
Robin O'Neill was taken into custody and subsequently charged with two counts of second-degree murder. At the time of her detainment, officers noted that she appeared unsteady, had bloodshot eyes, and slurred her speech, admitting to having consumed wine earlier in the day. Three handguns were recovered from the residence. O'Neill was arraigned and held without bail.
