Vermont State Police say they have concluded an investigation into the fatal shooting in October of a man in Wheelock, but the suspect — a coworker of the victim — has died.
Police said shortly after the shooting that the victim was 27-year-old Gunnar Watson and the shooting took place at his home. An autopsy later revealed that Watson died of a gunshot wound to the torso.
State police in a press release Tuesday said that after an “extensive” investigation they determined that Gary Larocque, 40, of Brownington, fired the rifle round that killed Watson as Watson stood in the doorway of his Wheelock home at about 5:50 a.m. on Oct. 16, 2023.
Detectives, according to the release, recovered several .223-caliber cartridge casings from Larocque’s residence in Brownington that the Vermont Forensic Laboratory determined were fired from the same gun as the cartridge casing located at the homicide scene.
“In addition,” the release stated, “detectives obtained digital location data that places Larocque at the location from which investigators determined the fatal shot was fired.”
Over the course of the eight-month investigation, according to the release, detectives conducted numerous interviews and executed several warrants.
The investigation also determined that Watson and Larocque were co-workers and had known each other for several years, the release stated.
Caledonia County State’s Attorney Jessica Zaleski reviewed the state police investigation and determined that she would have filed a charge of first-degree murder against Larocque had he not died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound outside his home on Oct. 31, 2023, the release stated.
The release did not provide a motive for the killing.
Watson, according to his obituary, worked as a foreman at Lucas Tree Experts for two years and was a team leader in the sniper section of C Troop 1/172 CAV of the Vermont Army National Guard.
