U.S. Marshals Capture VT Violent Fugitive in CT

New Haven, CT — U.S. Marshals in Connecticut and Rhode Island, assisted by the Rhode Island State Police and Groton Police Department, today arrested a Vermont murder suspect in Groton.

Shawn Conlon, 44, of Rhode Island, was taken into custody at a hotel on Gold Star Highway in Groton.  

A Vermont State Police (VSP) investigation identified Conlon as a suspect in the strangulation murder of Claudia Voight, 73, who was killed in her Windham, Vermont, home Feb. 20.

Investigators said Voight’s death did not appear suspicious at first, but an autopsy revealed she had been strangled. Her injuries were only detected by the medical examiner, who confirmed the cause of death in April.

The VSP obtained the arrest warrant Dec. 18 and enlisted the help of the U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force to locate and apprehend Conlon.

The U.S. Marshals investigation led first to Rhode Island, then to Groton, where it was determined Conlon had traveled following the VSP investigation.

Once in custody, Conlon was transported to the Groton Police Department where he was processed and held for his arraignment. Conlon will be extradited back to Vermont to face the charge of second-degree homicide.  

Since the inception of the U.S. Marshals – Connecticut Violent Fugitive Task Force in 1999, these partnerships have resulted in over 11,046 arrests (Updated as of 9/08/2022). The task force’s objective is to seek out and arrest violent fugitives and sexual predators. Membership agencies include Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport, Norwalk, Waterbury Police Departments and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. These arrests have ranged in seriousness from murder, assault, unregistered sex offenders, probation and parole violations and numerous other serious offenses. Nationally the U.S. Marshals Service fugitive programs are carried out with local law enforcement in 94 district offices, 85 local fugitive task forces, eight regional task forces, as well as a growing network of offices in foreign countries.