A suspect has been taken into custody for the killing of Heidi Voight’s mother, Claudia Voight, who was only 73 years old. The incident occurred at Claudia’s residence in Vermont on February 20. Shawn Conlon, 44, from Rhode Island, was apprehended for the crime by marshals, local law enforcement, and Rhode Island State Police at a hotel in Connecticut on Wednesday. Initially being tracked in Rhode Island, Conlon later traveled to Groton, Connecticut.
According to Fox News, law enforcement officials initially believed Claudia Voight had suffered from a medical issue. However, it was later revealed that she had died as a result of neck compression, which was only detected during an autopsy. Additional details released by Vermont State Police indicated that Conlon had rented a room in Claudia Voight’s home and had stopped paying rent towards the end of 2022. Despite this, he continued residing in the residence until the alleged attack and murder in February 2023. The motive behind the attack has not been disclosed.
Following the arrest, Heidi Voight seemed to react to the news on Facebook with a simple “HALLELUJAH.” Furthermore, the anchor had previously made a public announcement on Facebook in July, where she revealed the true cause of her mother’s death. She stated, “I have been carrying this painful secret: My mother’s death was not natural, nor peaceful. My mother was murdered, violently, in the place she should have felt safest — her own home in Windham, Vermont. … This has broken me and changed me. But I am my mother’s daughter, and I will come back stronger. I will fight for her.”
Conlon is currently being held on a bail of $1 million, pending extradition to Vermont. He has been charged with second-degree murder.
