In the quiet, rural landscape of Hubbardton, Vermont, the winter of 2014 was violently disrupted by the tragic deaths of a father and son. On the afternoon of February 12th, state troopers and emergency personnel were dispatched to a residence on Vermont Route 30. There, they discovered the bodies of two men outside the home, both victims of a shooting.
The deceased were identified as 57-year-old Shane Plummer, a White male, and his 26-year-old son, Christopher Plummer, both residents of nearby West Haven. The scene was quickly secured, and an intensive investigation into the double homicide began.
As detectives from the Vermont State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation delved into the case, their attention soon focused on the resident of the Hubbardton home, Sylvester Labartino. It was noted that Labartino's vehicle, a white Ford Bronco, was missing from the property, prompting an alert to be issued to law enforcement in the area. It wasn't long before officers in the neighboring town of Castleton spotted the vehicle traveling north on Route 30. A traffic stop was initiated, and the driver was confirmed to be Sylvester Labartino. He was taken into custody and subsequently arrested in connection with the shooting deaths of Shane and Christopher Plummer.
Following his arrest, Labartino was incarcerated as he awaited trial for the murders. However, the legal proceedings would never reach a conclusion. On August 27, 2014, while in custody at the Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield, the 71-year-old suspect passed away. Officials reported that Labartino had been suffering from a serious medical condition and other health issues, and his death was believed to be from natural causes. His death brought an unexpected end to the criminal case, leaving a community to grapple with the violent loss of a father and son.
