A Rhode Island man appeared in a courtroom in Vermont for the first time Friday to face a judge on a charge of first-degree murder in the death of a 73-year-old Windham woman in February.
Shawn Conlon, 44, was arrested in Connecticut on Dec. 23 on the charge from Vermont. He is accused of killing Claudia Voight, 73, at her home in Windham on Feb. 20, 2023.
He was extradited Friday to Vermont from Connecticut, where he had been held in custody since his December arrest.
Attorney Daniel Stevens, representing Conlon during his arraignment on the murder charge, entered a not guilty plea on his client’s behalf late Friday afternoon in Windham County Superior criminal court in Brattleboro.
Judge John Treadwell granted a request from Windham County Deputy State’s Attorney Steven Brown to hold Conlon in custody without bail.
Voight was found dead in her home on Feb. 20 and authorities at that time thought she had suffered a medical event, according to police. A later autopsy requested by Voight’s daughter determined the cause of death was neck compression and the manner of death was homicide, police said.
Vermont State Police said they learned that Conlon had been living in a room in Voight’s home, and stopped paying rent in late 2022 while still residing at the residence.
Conlon, who left Vermont after Voight’s death, was taken into custody in December with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service.
If convicted of the charge against him, Conlon faces up to life in prison
