Suspect’s court date set in social worker death

While Herring has already been arrested, law enforcement officials are trying to check if the unstable mom and Sobel knew each other and if there was any ulterior motive besides the loss of custody of an only child, reported USA Today.

The social worker, 48-year-old Lara Sobel, was shot and killed outside state offices in Barre on Friday afternoon.

Meanwhile, three women authorities say are related to Herring were found dead Saturday morning at a home in neighboring Berlin, and state police are investigating. Police stated at the least two of the ladies appeared to have been shot.

A business owner said her surveillance camera caught the DCF shooting as it unfolded.

Speaking late Saturday night, Shumlin said there had been no prior indication that Sobel was in any danger.

Herring had recently lost custody of a 9-year-old child, the Burlington Free Press reported.

“That’s one of those things that’s open to interpretation, so I’m going to stay away from it”, Bombardier told The Associated Press.

Officers stated after Sobel’s capturing that Herring’s daughter remained in state custody.

Lara Sobel, who belongs to the Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF) office, was shot at by Jody Herring as she was leaving her office.

Shumlin, who returned early from a vacation to speak on the killings, said the investigation into the deaths of Herring’s relatives was ongoing and declined to release any additional information.

“We all know that the incidents have been horrific and completely heartbreaking”, the governor stated after coming back from trip in Nova Scotia upon listening to of the deaths. “We also know and firmly believe that this was an isolated attack based upon the person we have in custody, who is the alleged perpetrator of these crimes”.

Shumlin tentatively identified the three victims found Saturday as Rhonda Herring and Regina Herring, the suspect’s cousins; and Julianne Falzarano, an aunt.

The sisters, Shumlin said, were in their 40s. “I can not remember, in my lifetime, four people being murdered by the same alleged perpetrator”.

WCAX 3 News “The employees at DCF deal with the most challenging family situations that one can imagine”, Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin said in a statement. “It’s a large extended family throughout central Vermont”, Scott said.

Sobel’s co-workers and members of the Vermont State Employees Association planned to hold a vigil Sunday.

Ken Schatz, the commissioner for the Department for Children and Families, called Sobel’s shooting “a heartbreaking tragedy”. He called Sobel “an experienced social worker”.

Agency of Human Services Secretary Hal Cohen said the Department for Children of Families will be re-evaluating safety protocols for social workers.

“This case is in the early states of investigation, to include exploring the connection with the homicide that occurred in Barre city yesterday afternoon”, state and local police said in a joint statement.