[A] young St. George mother’s death has been ruled a suicide, but the woman’s family is questioning that conclusion.
Pamela Price, 24, died July 4 at her home from a gunshot wound to the head. Vermont State Police investigated but said early in the probe that they didn’t consider her death to be homicide.
Price’s final death certificate, released Friday by the Vermont Department of Health, says the fatal shot was self-inflicted. The chief medical examiner ruled the death a suicide.
Earlier Friday, the office released a death record that listed Price’s manner of death as “accidental,” but department spokesperson Ben Truman issued a corrected document later in the day listing suicide.
Truman said a “clerical error” led to the earlier, incorrect document’s release.
“We appreciate the time and effort the Vermont State Police put into the investigation,” said Kim Davis, Price’s mother. “We are disappointed, and we had an inkling how it was going to go.”
She didn’t say what the remaining questions are, but the family believes Price’s death was an accident.
Vermont State Police Lt. Lance Burnham conducted the investigation. He didn’t return calls placed Monday and Tuesday seeking comment on Price’s manner of death.
The Vermont State Police public information officer, Scott Waterman, said the examination is now headed to the Chittenden County state’s attorney’s office for review. “No other information is available at this time,” he said Tuesday via email. He added that “any case can be reopened” if police receive new information.
Waterman didn’t respond to questions Wednesday regarding why the completed investigation was slated to be turned over to the state’s attorney and if that is standard procedure.
Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George and the administrator at her office didn’t return calls placed Tuesday and Wednesday seeking comment about the review.
Price had a 4-year-old daughter and an infant son and recently started a new position with Aspen Dental.
Davis firmly rejects the idea Price suffered from depression, describing her as a dedicated mother and working professional. “There was no sign of postpartum depression, with Pam’s family and friends,” she said.
Davis also gave VTDigger an email that she said Price wrote a few days prior to her death, in which she makes reference to an Aspen Dental co-worker. Davis said Price sounded happy and excited about the future of her career with the Williston practice.
The email reads: “I am learning SO much and see a big difference in the way she does things compared to others and it honestly excites me to one day be able to move up in the company and be the ‘new’ Jamie! I want nothing more than to be successful and learning from Jamie ignites a fire to do that. She is such a great teacher!”
Price worked for the last several years as a firefighter and emergency medical responder for the Hinesburg Fire Department. Police Chief Frank Koss worked alongside Price at the Fire Department but said he believed her family commitments curtailed her recent work with the squad.
“Pam had not been at the Fire Department much considering a new baby and her working,” Koss said. “I did not hear anyone comment that she had been struggling.”
Koss praised Price for her skill and work ethic on the Fire Department but declined to say whether he agreed with the Vermont State Police findings regarding her death.
“Since I had nothing to do with the investigation, it is not really my place to comment on the investigation,” Koss said. “My experience with VSP, however, is I trust them completely in their skills and dedication in their investigations.”
Davis remains determined to pursue answers regarding Price’s death. “We, her family and friends, remain committed as we have since the beginning through the investigation to Pam’s legacy,” she said.
