The Murder of Austin Colson (Vermont)

A 19-year old South Royalton, Vermont resident was missing under suspicious circumstances for over four months before his remains were found in an old barn miles from home. Investigators have named a strong suspect for his murder, but as the seven year anniversary approaches, this case is still unsolved.

January 11, 2018

It was around 11 a.m. on Thursday, January 11, 2018 and 19-year old Austin Colson had just left the apartment he shared with his girlfriend in South Royalton, Vermont for a day of scrapping. If you’re not familiar with that term, it refers to collecting scrap metal which can then be sold for cash at scrap yards or recycling centers, and it was something Austin often did to make a little extra money.

Austin was a self-starter; very industrious. According to reporting by Jordan Cuddemi (who covered this case extensively for Valley News), Austin had recently started his own painting business, A+C Painting, and it was going well, but the winter season was generally slow for that type of work so he turned to other avenues like scrapping to make money. He also made and sold soaps and candles, just like his grandmother taught him.

Austin’s Honda Civic wasn’t exactly equipped for picking up large pieces of scrap metal, so as he’d done in the past, the plan was to drive to his dad’s house on Route 14 in Sharon that morning where he’d meet up with a friend who had a truck that could haul a small black utility trailer which Austin had permission to borrow from his father, Dana Colson.

When Dana got home later that day, the trailer was gone and there was Austin’s car parked in his driveway. All signs pointed to Austin being out picking up scrap metal with a friend, just as he said would be. But around 4:30 a.m. the next morning, the phone rang at Dana’s house. It was Austin’s mother, Deaunna McKinney. 

Deaunna explained that she heard from Austin’s girlfriend that Austin had never returned home the day before and she hadn’t been able to track him down. His phone was off.

Dana glanced outside. Austin’s car hadn’t moved from the spot where it was parked the night before, but his son wasn’t there and the trailer was still gone. Unsettled by all of it, Deaunna called Vermont State Police at 5:19 a.m. on January 12 to report Austin missing.

Searching for Austin

The case was starting with limited information from Austin’s girlfriend and parents regarding his plans that day and their own last interactions with him. Austin’s girlfriend Katie said she last saw him when she left for work around 5 in the morning on the 11th. He was last known to be wearing jeans, Chippewa boots, a camouflage hooded jacket and a white baseball hat with the name of his business, A+C Painting, in black lettering on it.

Police checked with Austin’s cell phone service provider and learned that his phone had been turned off around 11:15 a.m. that day. The last known sighting of him was at 11:17 a.m. when he drove by an ATM camera located on Vermont Route 14 in Sharon.

On January 13, state police K9 units scoured the area surrounding Austin’s apartment complex and outside his father’s home to see if they might be able to trace his scent but the effort didn’t turn up any clues.

Meanwhile, Austin’s family and friends began their own search. They hung posters in the Upper Valley region and turned to social media in a digital canvassing effort. The social media posts received comments and messages that Austin was possibly seen over 100 miles north in Newport or in the nearby town of Claremont.

Some of the earliest reports about the missing persons case said that police had no reason to believe foul play was a factor. Still, family and police were understandably concerned for Austin’s wellbeing and were asking for anyone who may have seen the 5 foot 8 man with brown hair and brown eyes to come forward with that information.

On January 16, four days into the search for Austin, a discovery off a remote road in Sharon changed the tone of the investigation. Police had found Austin’s father’s utility trailer, partially filled with scrap metal, abandoned on Downer Road in Sharon. Investigators posted photos of some of the scrap metal in the trailer on social media in hopes of figuring out where it came from as a way to track Austin’s movements on the day he was last seen.

But police were already beginning to uncover more about Austin’s scrapping plans on the day he was last seen, and who he’d made those plans with…You see, Austin’s mother DeAunna had learned that the friend he was supposed to meet up with on the morning of the 11th was actually an old high school classmate of hers, 38-year old Richard Whitcomb.

Court records show that the very same day the abandoned trailer was recovered, state police detectives sat down for an interview with Richard Whitcomb. The investigation had dredged up some critical information from witnesses who saw Austin and Richard together the night before Austin disappeared.