BURLINGTON — A Northeast Kingdom man previously indicted along with his daughter on drug and firearms charges stemming from a homicide probe has denied similar charges in a new indictment that includes several more defendants, including another one of his daughters.
Alexandrea Nelson, an attorney for Shawn Whitcomb, entered a not guilty plea to the latest drug and firearm charges against her client during a hearing Monday in federal court in Burlington. Whitcomb continues to be held in custody without bail.
The hearing took place following a new “superseding” indictment naming him as well as several others as defendants facing drug and firearms charges brought as part of the investigation into the October 2018 shooting death of 37-year-old Michael Pimental.
No one has been charged directly in Pimental’s slaying, though six people are now facing other charges involving drugs and firearms linked to the probe.
Shawn Whitcomb and his daughter, Krystal Whitcomb, had been arrested and charged on drug and firearms charges shortly after Pimental’s slain body was discovered nearly a year ago off a dirt road in Concord, about 15 miles from his home in Waterford.
Police said he had been shot multiple times in his head and torso.
Both Whitcombs have been jailed since their arrests.
The latest indictment includes similar charges against Shawn Whitcomb, but adds other defendants, including another one of his daughters, Alicia Whitcomb, as well as her boyfriend Brandon Darling on charges related to drug dealing.
In court Monday, Nelson, representing Shawn Whitcomb, did not contest her client’s detainment pending his trial.
The hearing Monday did not provide any new information into the homicide probe, which Vermont State Police say remains ongoing.
According to court records filed earlier last year in the drug and firearms cases against Krystal Whitcomb and her father Shawn Whitcomb, they were both under investigation by the Vermont Drug Task Force, as was Pimental, around the time he was shot and killed.
A prosecutor said in court last year during a hearing that Krystal Whitcomb told investigators that Pimental had been physically abusive to her and her father said to detectives, “I did what I did to protect Krystal.”
Krystal Whitcomb also told investigators, according to the prosecutor, another man was also in the house with her father and Pimental at the time he was shot and killed. However, that man has not been identified.
As the homicide probe continues, prosecutors have submitted court filings earlier this year indicating that they are considering charges that could carry the death penalty in the case.
