Suspect in death of social worker due in court

The state is reeling after four murders in central Vermont.

Police say a Barre woman accused of shooting a Vermont social worker to death is to be arraigned Monday on a first-degree homicide charge.

The next morning, an emergency call brought officers to a Berlin home, where they found three relatives of Herring dead. We’ll hear about the latest we know and don’t know about the murders – plus the ongoing investigation, reactions across the state, and what it means for the DCF and other public servants.

Jody Herring has been held without bail since shortly after her arrest Friday following the death of Lara Sobel who police say was shot twice in the head as she came of the Barre office building that houses the regional office of the state Department for Children and Families.

Bombardier said the weapon used to kill Sobel was a hunting rifle, but he would not reveal additional details about it. He also would not comment on whether Jody Herring had obtained the gun legally. Authorities said Friday night that Sobel had been involved in a case that saw Herring’s daughter taken into state custody.

Sobel leaves behind a husband and two young girls.

Gov. Peter Shumlin, who was returning from a Nova Scotia vacation a week early after receiving word of the deaths, said yesterday there was no reason to believe there was a continuing threat related to the incidents.

Sobel handled the case in which Herring lost custody of her 9-year-old daughter.

Officials said Herring’s daughter remained in state custody after Sobel’s shooting.

He ordered the Vermont flag to be lowered to half-staff today through Wednesday at all state, federal and public buildings in honor of Sobel.

“I think all Vermonters are as shocked, dismayed, horrified and grief-stricken as all of us are”, the governor said.

Cindy Walcott, DCF deputy commissioner, said that over the weekend, she has been thinking there would be no way to go forward, but she found support from the people she and the other social workers have helped overcome obstacles.

Information for this article was contributed by Lynne Tuohy of The Associated Press.