In the quiet community of Barre, Vermont, a tragedy unfolded on January 2, 1961, forever marking the lives of those who knew Huguette G. Constant. Huguette, a 29-year-old White/Caucasian woman, was killed in a shocking act of violence that also claimed the lives of her two young children. The devastating event took place in the early morning hours at the family's home located at 42 Maple Avenue.
Huguette was fatally shot as she slept by her husband, Paul L. Constant.
In an unfathomable extension of the violence, Paul then proceeded to the bedrooms of their children, 8-year-old Michael and 4-year-old Joanne, and shot them as they slept as well. The quiet of the morning was shattered by these acts, leaving a void in the heart of the community.
After taking the lives of his wife and children, Paul L. Constant then took his own life. The incident was determined to be a murder-suicide, with Paul as the perpetrator. His actions left no room for arrests or a lengthy investigation into other suspects, as the person responsible was also deceased. The community was left to grapple with the sudden and tragic loss of the Constant family, a devastating event born from domestic violence.
