Updated at 7:39 p.m.
A Rutland man is in custody and facing a murder charge following a deadly stabbing in Rutland on Saturday night.
Brandon McRae, 36, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Trevor Vandenburg, 32, of Rutland, according to charging documents filed in Rutland County Superior criminal court.
McRae also faces a charge of aggravated assault with a weapon for allegedly striking a witness in the face, according to the documents.
McRae pleaded not guilty to the charges Monday afternoon in Rutland County Superior criminal court, represented by attorney Christopher Perkett of OPLaw. Perkett said he was serving as McRae’s defense attorney for the “arraignment only,” and McRae’s case will be handled by attorney Christopher Montgomery, a criminal defense attorney with Barr Sternberg.
If convicted of the murder charge, McRae faces a maximum prison term of 20 years to life.
A status conference will be held within two weeks to allow McRae to meet with his new legal counsel and to schedule a “weight of the evidence hearing,” Judge Cortland Corsones said.
Before the stabbing, Vandenburg and a witness, Raven Blanchard, allegedly messaged McRae via Facebook, looking to buy cocaine, according to a statement Blanchard gave to police that was reported in an affidavit of probable cause, written by Rutland City Police Det. Tyler Billings.
When they met McRae at a trailer on Water Street, Blanchard told officers that a dispute over the quantity and price of the cocaine broke out between Vandenburg and McRae, according to Billings’ affidavit. As Vandenburg and Blanchard were leaving down the street, Blanchard said McRae attacked Vandenburg and hit her in the face when she tried to stop him, the affidavit stated.
Rutland police said they were called around 7:45 p.m. Saturday for a reported stabbing in the area of Water and State streets. Vandenburg was taken by ambulance to Rutland Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, according to police.
During the investigation, McRae was identified as “a person of interest,” and he was taken into custody Sunday without incident, police said.
Corsones ruled that, because of the serious nature of the charges and his criminal history, McRae will be held without bail while awaiting further court proceedings, and is prohibited from making any contact with witnesses in the case.