← Dark Downeast
Dark Downeast
The Murder of Kenneth "Kenny" Jerome (Vermont)
00:38:02
Kenneth Jerome got up that summer morning in 2005 and said goodbye to his girlfriend and children, just like he did every day. He set about his usual chores on the farm, just like he always did, and he expected to feed the cows, like he had for years. But July 7th was not like every other day. Kenny’s routine was pierced by a single gunshot wound that stole him from the family, friends, and community who loved him fiercely. Now 20 years later, no one has been charged with his murder. In this small Vermont town, suspicion has run rampant for years, but suspicion alone has yet to rise to the level of an arrest. If you have information about the unsolved homicide of Kenny Jerome, please contact Captain J.P. Schmidt at the Vermont State Police Major Crime Unit at (802) 244-8727. Tips may also be submitted anonymously by texting the keyword VTIPS to 274637 or via the form.
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- [00:00]
A
Your new beginning starts now. Dr. Horton has new construction homes available in Ellensburg and throughout the greater Seattle area. With spacious floor plans, flexible living spaces and home technology packages, you can enjoy more cozy moments and sweet memories in your beautiful new home. With new home communities opening in Ellensburg and throughout the Seattle area, Dr. Horton has the ideal home for you. Learn more at Dr. Horton.com Dr. Horton, America's builder and equal Housing Opportunity Builder.
- [00:34]
B
Hi, I'm Dahlvette Quince. One way to help manage type 2 diabetes is to regularly exercise. My exercise program can help get you into a routine that works for you. Keep in mind managing blood sugar also takes the right diet. Hi, I'm celebrity chef Franklin Becker. Ever since I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, I've adapted my cooking style without sacrificing flavor. If you want to learn more tips about diet and exercise, visit mytype2transformation.com.
- [01:05]
C
In the summer, all of Oregon is our playground thanks to our incredible park system. That's why it's so cool that Oregon Lottery gameplay like video lottery or cash pop helps support tons of parks projects statewide like accessible trails at Silver Falls State park or upgrades to your favorite dog park in Newburgh. It's just one way a little lottery play for many Oregonians can add up to a lot of good the Oregon Lottery. Together we do good things. Lottery games are based on chance and should be played for entertainment only. Must be 18 or older to play.
- [01:39]
D
Kenneth Jerome got up that summer morning in 2005 and said goodbye to his girlfriend and children just like he did every day. He set about his usual chores on the farm just like he always did, and he expected to feed the cows like he had for years. But July 7th was not like every other day. Kenny's routine was pierced by a single gunshot wound that stole him from the family, friends and community who loved him fiercely. Now, 20 years later, no one has been charged with his murder. In this small Vermont town, suspicion has run rampant for years, but suspicion alone has yet to rise to the level of an arrest. I'm Kylie Lowe and this is the case of Kenneth Kenny Jerome on D Dark Down East. As of this episode's original recording, no one has been arrested or charged with any crimes as it relates to the murder of Kenneth Jerome in 2005. The names you're about to hear have long been associated with the case. In publicly available source material, all individuals are innocent until proven otherwise in a court of law. The morning of July 7, 2005 started out like any other for 33 year old Kenneth Jerome Kenny, as his friends called him, was a farmhand at Diamond Hill Custom Heifers Farm in Sheldon, Vermont. According to reporting by Molly Walsh for the Burlington Free Press, Kenny helped care for over 2,000 cows raised for other farmers and one of his primary duties included feeding the large herd. Kenny's girlfriend Jennifer worked at the farm too. I spoke to her on the phone as part of my reporting for this case and the audio quality is not the greatest, but it's really important you hear parts of this story in her words. Here's Jennifer we got up that morning.
- [03:39]
E
Like any normal morning, got the girls ready, gave each other a kiss, said I love you.
- [03:46]
D
Jennifer and Kenny had a seventh month old daughter together named Caitlin. Kenny also had a strong bond with Jennifer's daughter from her previous relationship. Both girls went with Jennifer to the barn each morning as mom took care of the calves. Jennifer and Kenny would cross paths throughout the day, just glimpses and waves across the farm. Around 10am as Kenny set off towards the barn where hungry heifers awaited their morning feast when one of the farm's owners, Terry Magnan, asked Kenny to catch up with him and the other farmhands when he was done to help them finish up their chores before lunch. Jennifer saw Kenny just as she was finishing up for the morning and breaking for lunch with her daughters.
- [04:28]
E
And I remember looking in the rearview mirror as I was pulling out of the barn and he was in the Payloader loading up another wagon full of feed and I looked in the rearview mirror, I looked right at him and he looked at me and we waved.
- [04:42]
D
As far as Jennifer remembers, that was around 11 or 11:30am around 12:30 that afternoon, Kenny still hadn't returned from feeding the cows. As Leon Thompson reports for the St. Albans Messenger, Terry's first thought was that Kenny was having some trouble with the tractor or other equipment. Seems like things were prone to break down on a working farm, but as a guy who loved tinkering with engines on his muscle cars, Kenny would have been well suited to deal with any issues on his own. Still, Terry, followed by his other farmhands, Travis and Alex, went to go check what the holdup was. As he approached the barn, Terry saw the tractor still idling, but no Kenny. He thought maybe Kenny went into town to grab a part for the machinery, but that thought was quickly chased from his mind when he finally spotted him laying face down on a dirt path between the cattle feeding bunk and a patch of tall grass. Terry ran to check on Kenny, but he wasn't breathing. Terry bolted back to his House and yelled for his wife, Joanne Magnon, to call 911. Questions raced in the minds of Terry and Joanne and the other farmhands. Was it a medical event? Some sort of accident? How long was Kenny lying there? Would he be okay? As paramedics arrived at the farm and attempted life saving measures, the last question received a heartbreaking answer. Kenny wasn't going to be okay. And it was clear why. First responders could see that Kenny had one single gunshot wound to his chest. Kenny had been shot. With that, Vermont State Police were called to the scene to begin an investigation into Kenny's sudden, tragic and downright suspicious death. Kenny Jerome had been a farmhand at Diamond Hill for almost a decade. He first met the owners, Terry and Joanne Magnin, in 1997 when their nephew introduced him. The farm needed help. Kenny wanted to work on the farm and so the pairing was perfect for all involved. He was quickly woven into the very fabric of the farm and the Magnan family itself. Later, according to Erica Jacobson's reporting for the Free Press, Joanne would refer to Kenny as her fourth son. She said Kenny idolized her husband Terry, and he was critical to the farm's day to day operations. In addition to working on the farm, Kenny also lived in one of the big farmhouses located on the property. When he wasn't taking care of the cows, he was most likely found under the hood of one of his Ford Mustangs or laying some rubber on the pavement of Franklin County's back roads. Kenny loved cars, loud engines and working hard on the farm. Soon he fell in love with something, or rather someone new too. Jennifer Miller, which was her last name in 2005, had been in the farming community for years. In fact, her former husband Dennis Harness and his family owned the farm next door to the Magdens. When conflict in their marriage had Jennifer and Dennis heading for divorce, she decided to distance herself from the Harness family and got a job working at the Magdens farm instead, taking care of the newborn calves. That's where Kenny met Jennifer at first.
- [07:59]
E
When I met him, we actually didn't really hit it off.
- [08:03]
D
As Jennifer explained it to me, Kenny sort of held it against her that she was associated with the Harness family and their farm. She admits that they were both straight talkers, didn't beat around the bush about anything and they didn't see eye to eye on much at first. But that changed one summer after a water balloon fight turned into flirting and then turned into romance. Soon they were an item. Kenny and Jennifer were dating when they learned that Jennifer was pregnant.
- [08:32]
E
His first response wasn't something that I really expected. I was a little nervous at first, but then it turned out absolutely awesome. But when I told him I was pregnant, he basically looked at me and he's like, we don't have a house yet. We're not supposed to do this this way. And then within five minutes, he's like, oh my gosh, I'm gonna be a dad.
- [08:49]
D
It was a dream he didn't even fully realize he had for himself until he was in it. Their baby girl became Kenny's world.
- [08:58]
E
He looked right at her and he's like, that's my gooey. And just the pride and the happiness and the tears, like it was something I will never, ever forget.
- [09:08]
D
Never forget that nickname Kenny gave her. Gooby has held it strong. Two decades later, Caitlyn and Jennifer and Kenny all lived in the big farmhouse together. Along with Jennifer's daughter she shared with her now ex husband, Dennis. Kenny's daughter was just seven months old when Jennifer opened her front door on July 7, 2005 and was greeted by two Vermont State Troopers. Jennifer could hear what they were saying, but she didn't believe it. Not at first. She accused the officers of playing a cruel joke. It was a waking nightmare that Jennifer has been unable to escape. Even now, 20 years later, the man.
- [09:47]
E
That I love, the father of my child, is dead. And now somebody can take any sort of gun and look through a scope and know that there's a human being at the end that never done anything to anybody, that just wanted to live his life and pull the triggers. Beyond me. I'll never understand it.
- [10:18]
B
Hi, I'm Dahlvette Quince. One way to help manage type 2 diabetes is to regularly exercise. My exercise program can help get you into a routine that works for you. Keep in mind, managing blood sugar also takes the right diet. Hi, I'm celebrity chef Franklin Becker. Ever since I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, I've adapted my cooking style without sacrificing flavor. If you want to learn more tips about diet and exercise, visit mytype2transformation.com.
- [10:48]
C
In the summer. All of Oregon is our playground thanks to our incredible park system. That's why it's so cool that Oregon lottery gameplay, like video lottery or cash pop, helps support tons of parks projects statewide like accessible trails at Silver Falls State park or upgrades to your favorite dog park in Newburgh. It's just one way a little lottery play for many Oregonians can add up to a lot of good the Oregon Lottery. Together, we do good things. Lottery games are based on chance and should be played for entertainment only. Must be 18 or older to play.
- [11:27]
D
As the investigation into Kenny's death swiftly began in the small, rural Vermont town about a dozen miles from the United States Canadian border, state police assured the public that while the shooting was considered suspicious, there was no need for the public to be concerned for their safety. According to Adam Silverman's reporting for the Free Press, investigators did not disclose if they were looking at anyone in particular or if there was an obvious motive from the outset. However, they also had no reason to believe the shooting was random. Other people were on the farm at the time, but Kenny was the only person shot and police believed he was the intended target. Investigators didn't say much about the investigative efforts or focus of the investigation in the first 48 to 72 hours, but newspaper reporters observed authorities from the Vermont Forensic Laboratory using metal detectors to scan the ground at the scene, presumably looking for bullets, shell casings or other evidence. The autopsy and ballistics analysis later determined that Kenny was shot sometime between 11am and noon on the day he was found and likely died within minutes. The killer used a.22 caliber rifle and fired it between 65 and 80 yards away from where Kenny was driving a tractor. Police categorized it as a medium to short range shot and posited that it was within the skill level of people who hunt or target shoot. The bullet trajectory indicated that the shooter was likely located on or near a rock ledge on a neighboring property to the east of the farm, covered by trees and vegetation that could have concealed the killer. A search at the presumed location of the shooter on the ledge itself did not provide any evidence relevant to Kenny's death. But of course, investigators didn't stop at the property line. As the investigation crossed into the weekend. Detectives were seen at a house and on land located next door to the Magnin farm. An update from police indicated that evidence was collected as part of searches at several properties and locations nearby the scene, and that evidence could be tested at the Vermont Forensic Laboratory to see if it held any answers as to who fired the single fatal shot at Kenny. Now the house and some of the property searched by police was owned by Stephen and Shirley Harness. Their son Dennis lived in the house at the time. That's Dennis Harness, as in Kenny's girlfriend's ex husband. The following week, on July 12, Vermont State Police announced that Kenny's suspicious death was in fact a homicide. Police may not have been saying if there were any suspects in the murder, but the town of Sheldon and many of its 2,200 residents had drawn their own conclusions already in the days after Kenny's murder. Frustrated with a lack of arrest, unknown messengers tossed small slips of paper into public spaces around town with a two word demand hang Harness. Over a month passed without an arrest for Kenny's murder. His loved ones, including his mother Lois and his girlfriend Jennifer, laid him to rest at a tearful memorial service that perfectly honored the man who loved Mustangs and roaring engines. A friend driving Kenny's beloved 1996 Ford Mustang GT performed a ceremonial burnout on the pavement, leaving two thick black tracks from the rear tires, just as Kenny would have done that August, the small town, still reeling from the tragic loss was shocked once again by the report of another shooting. There were no fatalities or injuries, but the incident was very obviously connected to Kenny's death. The shooter himself later admitted it. Around 2:45am on Friday, August 19, 2005, Billie Harness woke up to the sound of loud music coming from outside. So she went to go see if she could identify the source of the ruckus from the view of her second floor bedroom window. Billy saw a car out in front of the house and then she heard a loud kabang sound. She recognized it as a gunshot. Billy said the car drove off as she went downstairs, but it came back soon after. Whoever was inside that car fired a second shot and it hit a desk inside her house. Police tracked down the suspect vehicle with the shooter inside around 3:20am he tried to run from police going 85 miles per hour down the rural street, but he lost control of his car and crashed off the side of East Sheldon Road. State police arrested Timothy Callan for the shooting. The investigation into the incident revealed that Timothy had been drinking at an establishment called the Abbey in Sheldon that night and later went to or planned to go to another bar called JD's Pub. He was apparently upset over Kenny's death that night. They knew each other because Timothy's cousin Travis was also a farmhand at Diamond Hill. At some point after returning home from the bars in an emotional state over the murder of Kenny, Timothy grabbed his loaded rifle and drove over to the Harness residence. He fired at least two shots at the house. Timothy told police that he wasn't planning to shoot at the Harnesses home that night and he was sorry that he'd done it, but he was upset that nobody had been arrested for Kenny's murder. He believed a member or members of the Harness family were responsible. Now, Timothy's blood alcohol content at the time of his arrest a few hours after the shooting was 179, more than twice the legal limit. So in addition to aggravated assault, Timothy was also charged with driving under the influence and attempting to elude a law enforcement officer. He entered a not guilty plea in St. Albans District Court, but later changed that plea to guilty and hoped the judge would show mercy at his sentencing. Although earlier reporting states that Timothy apparently had conscious awareness of his actions on the night of the shooting, his final story was that he blacked out from drinking and didn't have any idea how the loaded gun got in his car. He said the last thing he remembered was wanting to go to JD's Pub. And the next thing he knew, he was in police custody. Timothy's attorney explained that they'd since heard that someone at the bar that night had had egged Timothy on about Kenny's murder not being solved, which instigated this act of violence that was well outside of his true character. Timothy was ultimately sentenced to 15 months to four years, with all but 15 months suspended for the aggravated assault charge and three months to one year to serve, with all but three months suspended for DWI. He was also ordered to pay $900 in restitution, and he received eight days credit for time served. The house Timothy shot at that night was the home of Billy and Dennis Harness, and it had been searched as part of the investigation into Kenny's murder. Search warrant affidavits that were previously sealed unveiled the truth about the police investigation of Kenny's unsolved case and where much of the early attention was focused. When police searched the Harness home, they were looking for papers, plans, or writings that may show a plot for killing Kenny. They ended up seizing guns belonging to the Harness family as well as Dennis Harness truck. If the rumors running through town that the Harness family allegedly had something to do with Kenny's murder, it's not hard to see where those rumors came from, whether or not they were built on truth. The reality, though, was that no one had been named a suspect in Kenny's death and no one was in jail for it. Not a Harness and not anyone else. But when Timothy shot at the house, a member of the Harness family was incarcerated for an entirely different but potentially relevant crime. A little over two weeks before the shooting on August 2, a urine sample provided by Dennis Harness tested positive for the presence of cocaine, which was in violation of his probation. So he was sent to prison. Why was Dennis on probation at the time? We need to talk about the arsons. Jennifer gave a candid interview as part of a September 25, 2005 article by Erica Jacobson published in the Burlington Free Press. Jennifer openly wondered if her part in helping police investigate several arson fires had caused a chain reaction that ended in Kenny's murder. She feels the same way today.
- [20:19]
E
I was thinking if I didn't say anything, this would not have happened.
- [20:25]
D
One of the first fires broke out at the home of Dennis brother Thomas Harness on January 24, 1999. According to court records, around 10pm that night, Dennis got dropped off at his brother's house on East Sheldon Road in Sheldon. While Thomas was out of town with his family, Dennis went into the basement, lit some of Thomas's clothes on fire and then left. The house was a total loss. Then about two years into Dennis and Jennifer's marriage, after two kids and a handful of discussions about wanting to buy a new home, Jennifer said her husband had an idea they should burn down their current home and used the insurance money to buy a brand new one. Jennifer said that on September 7, 2001, she lit a cigarette, placed it in an ashtray and dropped the whole thing into a trash can in the bathroom. She'd barely reached the end of the driveway when she saw smoke coming from the house. Dennis and his brother Thomas were volunteer firefighters at the time and responded to the fire which resulted in a $23,000 insurance payout. Dennis and Jennifer put the funds towards a new home. Jennifer said that Dennis made her feel like it was normal and acceptable to burn down their house for insurance money. But that wasn't the life she wanted to live. About a year after the fire, she got that job at Diamond Hill Farm next door to the Harness farm and she and Dennis got a divorce. It was a very contentious divorce. There was documented animosity between Dennis and Jennifer and eventually Kenny. One court document authored by Sergeant Edward Meslin reads, quote, I feel that the Harnesses hate both Miller and Jerome, end quote. And then In June of 2003, a fire broke out on Diamond Hill Farm. The investigation determined the fire was intentionally set. That's when Jennifer decided to go to the police and tell them about the arsons. She knew about that. She knew her ex husband had something to do with setting. After disclosing her own role in the 2001 fire at the home she and Dennis shared and details of the fire at her former brother in law Thomas House in 1999, Jennifer agreed to wear a wire and record conversations with her and Dennis. Jennifer was given immunity for her part in the fire in exchange for testimony and court cooperation with the investigation. Jennifer helped record several conversations with Dennis in which they discussed or mentioned the suspected arson fires. And those recordings were part of the evidence supporting the arrest of Dennis Harness in November of 2003. Jennifer says that's when the threats began.
- [23:15]
E
I kept trying to get restraining orders. Those guys would run me off the road. They'd drive by pretending to shoot at us like the most evilest thing you can think of.
- [23:24]
D
According to reporting by Lee J. Klars for the St. Albans messenger, In April of 2004, Thomas was charged with obstructing justice, Stalking and aggravated assault. All but the stalking charge was dismissed by the state Because a farm worker had apparently told police that Thomas was milking cows on the harness farm on the day in March of 2004 when Jennifer was supposed to have been threatened by him in the alleged fear finger gun incident. However, that witness later recanted and said that Thomas made him provide the false alibi. Thomas pleaded guilty to the stalking charge in September of 2004. He was sentenced to nine to 12 months of probation. Jennifer ended up testifying against Dennis as expected at his first arson trial in January of 2005. For the charge relating to the fire she admitted to having part in setting at their home. Jennifer testified that Dennis was part of plotting at least six total fires between June 7, 1996 and September 28, 2002, as a way to make some money from insurance payouts. The family farm was struggling. Dennis was found guilty of one count of arson for instructing Jennifer to light their home on fire. He was sentenced to two to five years, suspended with probation. And remember, he violated that probation in August of 2005, landing him in prison, where he was when Timothy Cowan fired two shots at his house. Dennis would have faced a second arson charge at trial in the fall of 2005 relating to the fire at his brother's home in 1999. However, he changed his initial not guilty plea to no contest and went straight to sentencing. Dennis claimed that burning his brother's home Wasn't about the insurance payout. He was jealous. He said. He felt like an outsider in his own family and he was struggling with substance use at the time. At his sentencing hearing, Dennis said he was very sorry and asked for mercy. He wanted the court to see how hard he'd worked to turn his life around. Since the judge sentenced Dennis to two and a half to 10 years in prison, he also had to pay restitution to the insurance company. As for his probation violation, he was given credit for time served and another probation period Consecutive to the arson sentence. As far as I can Tell no charges were ever filed for the suspected arson fire in June of 2003 at Diamond Hill farm, the incident that spurred Jennifer into talking to police in the first place. Meanwhile, Dennis's brother Thomas was facing new charges of obstruction of justice for a separate incident of alleged witness intimidation. Leon Thompson reports for the St. Albans messenger that Thomas was accused of threatening another potential witness in Dennis's Orson case. The witness had reportedly driven Dennis to Thomas's house on the night the fire was set there and picked him up afterwards. And court records show Thomas allegedly followed this other witness in his father's truck, put his hand into the shape of a gun and pretended to shoot her. The witness said she was even more fearful of the threat after Kenny was shot in killed. Thomas originally pleaded not guilty to obstruction of justice, but updated that plea to no contest in January of 2006. This change was part of an agreement that the state would not bring any charges against him for coercing that alibi for the earlier incident against Jennifer Miller. He was sentenced to one to five years with all time suspended except 90 days on daily interruption. I haven't seen this a ton in my many years of reporting on criminal charges, so if it's a new term for you too. Daily interrupt service meant that Thomas had to report to prison from 6pm to 6am every day for 90 days. The sentence was in consideration of Thomas commitment to group counseling, completion of a domestic abuse program, and his role on the family dairy farm. Needless to say, there was a lot of history between Jennifer and the Harness family at the time. She believed that Kenny's murder was a message to her, an attempt to get her to leave town, or as she told me recently, alleged retaliation for leaving her ex husband and his family.
- [27:46]
E
And all I was trying to do was what was right. Somebody tried burning down our employees. Barn definitely said it was an arson attempt. If we had any information on who may have done it. I was just trying to do what was right. And I kept telling the d. A. I kept telling the cops, something bad's gonna happen, but I thought it was gonna happen to me.
- [28:11]
D
For the avoidance of doubt, investigators have not confirmed any connection or correlation between Kenny's murder and the arson charges against Dennis Harness. No one has been named a suspect in Kenny's murder. And no one discussed in this episode nor anyone connected to these individuals have been charged with any crimes connected to Kenny's death.
- [28:39]
A
Your new beginning starts now. Dr. Horton has new construction homes available in Ellensburg and throughout the greater Seattle area. With spacious floor plans flexible living spaces and home technology packages, you can enjoy more cozy moments and sweet memories in your beautiful new home. With new Home communities opening in Ellensburg and throughout the Seattle area, Dr. Horton has the ideal home for you. Learn more@drhorton.com Dr. Horton, America's builder and equal Housing Opportunity Builder.
- [29:13]
B
Hi, I'm Dahlvette Quince. One way to help manage type 2 diabetes is to regularly exercise. My exercise program can help get you into a routine that works for you. Keep in mind managing blood sugar also takes the right diet. Hi, I'm celebrity chef Franklin Becker. Ever since I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, I've adapted my cooking style without sacrificing flavor. If you want to learn more tips about diet and exercise, visit mytype2transformation.com in.
- [29:52]
D
September of 2005, the same month that Dennis pleaded no contest to the arson charge relating to the fire at his brother's home, and two months after Kenny's murder, police announced that the Magnans and Jennifer were offering a $9,000 reward for information in Kenny's 10 death. But if it generated any leads, those leads did not produce an arrest. A few months passed and In January of 2006, Timothy Callen began serving his combined sentence for conviction stemming from his shooting at the Harness home. He was placed in the Lee Adjustment center in Beattyville, Kentucky, where some incarcerated individuals from Vermont were sent in the case of overflow. Turns out the Kentucky prison had another inmate from Vermont at the same time, none other than Dennis Harness, whose house Timothy shot at. Lee J Cars reports for the St. Albans messenger that Timothy and Dennis were in the very same unit. During a hearing on Timothy's request for a sentence reduction, he told the judge that he had shaken Dennis Harness hand, apologized for the shooting, and received what he seemed to interpret as understanding from Dennis. Timothy explained to the judge that Dennis understood that other people had put Timothy up to shooting his house that night. Timothy's allegation was that Jennifer Miller and Timothy's cousin Travis, a farmhand who was living with Jennifer at the time, had, quote, put something in his drink and provoked him to violence. When she was asked about this allegation at the time, Jennifer said she wasn't at the bar with Timothy on the night he shot at Dennis house. She was home with her young children and Travis was home too. She was surprised to hear that Timothy and Dennis were in the same unit at the Kentucky prison, but not surprised that the men wanted to blame her for Timothy's actions. She felt like she was often blamed for things she had Nothing to do with Timothy's cousin. Travis also responded to the allegations that he was part of instigating Timothy on the night he shot at the Harnesses home. Travis said that he was in fact staying at Jennifer Miller's home on the night of the shooting. And although Timothy stopped by along with another cousin of theirs, Travis said he was out getting a pizza at the time and never saw Tim or their other cousin and did not convince or influenced him to shoot the Harness house. As a side note, but still related, Travis also claimed that Timothy was never friends with Kenny. That was just an excuse he believed Timothy concocted after he came to in jail with a realization of what he did. Travis also felt that Timothy's supposed friendship with Dennis while incarcerated was probably just so he'd feel safe once he was released. In a rare public comment In June of 2006, Dennis Father Stephen Harness said, quote, at this time I guess I have just one statement to make and that is we have cooperated 100% with the police and we know in the end that the Harness family will be cleared of all the false accusations made about us. End quote. On the one year anniversary of Kenny's murder, the case was still unsolved. One of the biggest issues plaguing the investigation was the murder weapon. Police hadn't found the firearm that the killer used in the shooting, though firearms were seized during the search of the harness home, including a.22, the same kind of gun determined to be used in Kenny's murder. Ballistics testing showed it wasn't the murder weapon. Locals suggested that police search manure pits for the firearm used to kill Kenny. But investigators said that kind of search would be a massive undertaking with apparently nothing to narrow down the search to a specific location. Detective Lieutenant Brian Miller said, quote, where do you start? What farm do you start at? And who would you like to volunteer for the task? End quote. Speaking of guns, Rick Burnham reports for the St. Albans messenger that Stephen and Shirley Harness Dennis parents requested that the firearms seized during searches at their property be returned to them. A Franklin County Superior Court judge ruled in favor of the state's request for dismissal on the grounds that that particular court didn't have jurisdiction in the matter. Since the original search warrant was issued in Vermont District Court. The second anniversary of Kenny's death came around in 2007 with more of the same. The reward money was never claimed and Kenny's murder was still unsolved. Farm owner Joanne Magnon said that they'd been told by police that they needed someone to talk all the evidence so far was circumstantial and would not support charges. They needed someone who could put all the pieces into place to bring that information to investigators or a confession would definitely help. As State Police Lieutenant Brian Miller said on the five year anniversary, quote, the lack of good information certainly makes us think that there are very few people involved and they've been quiet about it, end quote. As of that five year anniversary, Vermont State Police were still saying that the investigation indicated Kenny's murder was intentional and targeted. But it also could not be ruled out even at that point that it was possibly an accident. Interestingly, there was an apparent accidental shooting about four months after Kenny's murder in St. Albanstown, about 15 miles away from Sheldon. And it shared some similar characteristics. According to Jessica Hyman's reporting for The Free Press, 60 year old regine Lussier was sitting in the cab of his tractor hunting on his own land when he was shot. An Associated Press report published in the Times Argus names the shooter as 19 year old Colin Viens. Colin first told the group he was with on the day of the shooting that he shot a coyote, but later admitted that he accidentally shot the tractor. He was charged with involuntary manslaughter, but his first trial ended in mistrial. He ended up taking a plea deal to avoid jail time. Before the second trial began, he was sentenced to probation, ordered to pay restitution, and was given a number of other non prison punishments like community service. In the words of the prosecutor, Franklin County State's Attorney Jim Hughes, quote, he's got no prior record. He's a young guy who didn't do it on purpose. This is not a murder case. This is involuntary screwing around with his rifle and he ended up killing Regine Lussier, end quote. Is it possible that Kenny's death was the result of an accident? Well, as VSP has already noted, nothing has been ruled out yet. All the circumstantial evidence suggests that Kenny was targeted on that day in July of 2005. And whoever targeted him has yet to face justice for their actions. That stole a father, partner, friend and son from those who loved him most.
- [36:57]
E
He's just an all around good guy, period. A good friend, a good father, a good boyfriend, a good employee, a good son. He didn't deserve this. He just, he did not deserve it at all. He didn't do anything wrong and it's not fair that he lays on the ground and nobody's held accountable. To me that's not right. It won't bring him back. But I Think it would bring us peace. And I think about the person who was responsible for it. And they've been living their life, like, every day, just having a grand old time. And ever since then, we've had a struggle. And a part of me died that day, too. And I just. I can't. I can't get it back.
- [37:44]
D
Kenny's boss and owner of farm Terry Macknin said at Kenny's funeral, quote, he wanted to be a great dad. Work on the farm, mow his lawn, play with his Mustangs, and bother no one. End quote. Kenny was so excited to be a dad. Many people who talked about Kenny after his death said that he was finally finding his place in life, planting his feet firmly in fatherhood and building a life for his family. He even hoped that one day he'd see his daughter ride to prom in the 96 Mustang he'd bought instead. That Mustang was the car performing ceremonial burnouts in Kenny's honor at his funeral. Those cars were a big part of the best memories with Kenny that Jennifer holds onto him in his car, she riding in the passenger seat, music blasting, the aroma of burning rubber in the air.
- [38:36]
E
Yeah, we had to come up with an agreement that he was only allowed to go through one set of tires this summer. And, like, when he would go out in his Mustangs and he'd come back and he'd put his nose up in the air because you could just smell the rubber. And he'd be like, babe, can you smell that? And he'd just be, like, all hyped up, like he just won the lottery. And he'd just be like a little kid in the candy store. He'd just be so excited over it.
- [39:01]
D
Kenny's mother, Lois Jerome, reflected on the life of her son a year after losing him, remembering how he used to tear up their own family farm with his brother in the 80s, how he loved his baby girl, how wrong it was to bury a child. She told Leon Thompson of the St. Albans Messenger, Quote, your kids don't die ahead of you. It's not natural. And now Caitlin won't know her father. That was the one big thing in his life, that baby, end quote. That baby is now almost 21 years old. Jennifer makes sure that Caitlyn Gooby knows her dad.
- [39:40]
E
Yeah, she's amazing. She's. She's. Honestly, Caitlyn's the only thing that's got me through. And she is so much like Kenny, and it literally kills me and makes me so angry that she didn't get the opportunity to know her dad. Through her, I have pictures of him hanging up everywhere. I always have. I've always talked about him. I've anything and everything that I could remember about him. I tell her for the last 20 years and I'll tell her. I know he's proud of you. I know he's proud of his girl. She's a good girl. She's got a good heart. She's. Yeah, she's amazing. She's definitely Kenny's girl.
- [40:24]
D
If you have information about the unsolved homicide of Kenny Jerome, please contact Captain JP Schmidt at the Vermont State Police Major crime unit at 802-244-8727. Tips may also be submitted anonymously by texting the word V tips to 274-637 or via the tip form linked in the description of this episode Next week is an off week for Dark Down East. I'll return the following Thursday with a new episode. Thank you for listening to Dark Down East. You can find all source material for this case@darkdowneast.com Be sure to follow the show on Instagram arkdowneast. This platform is for the families and friends who have lost their loved ones and for those who are still searching for answers. I'm not about to let those names or their stories get lost with time. I'm Kylie Lowe and this is Dark Down East. Dark down east is a production of Kylie Media and Audio. Chuck so what do you think, Chuck? Do you approve?
- [41:47]
A
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- [42:21]
B
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