Update on the Investigation into the Disappearance of William and Lorraine Currier

United States Attorney Tristram Coffin, along with Chittenden County State’s Attorney T.J. Donovan, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Daniel Rachek, and representatives of the Vermont State Police and the Essex, Vermont Police Department held a press conference today to discuss developments in the case involving the disappearance of William and Lorraine Currier.

USA Coffin provided the following statement:

Investigative leads from a federal investigation in another state led to the search of a location on Route 15 in Essex Junction on April 12 to 13.

Information developed in connection with that search led to a search of a targeted portion of the Casella Coventry Landfill in Coventry, Vermont.

That search was focused on finding evidence of the physical remains of William and Lorraine Currier.

For the last approximately 11 weeks, the landfill was searched in a massive effort, led by specialized teams of the FBI and assisted by significant resources from the Vermont State Police and Essex Police Department. Unfortunately, the search did not recover the Curriers’ remains. It has now been concluded.

Nonetheless, the investigation has developed significant information that William and Lorraine Currier were abducted from their home and murdered shortly thereafter in June 2011.

The person believed to have committed the murders is in custody in another state and will remain in custody.

No charges have yet been brought against this person for the Curriers’ murders, but charges are anticipated.

This is a federal investigation at this point in time. Prosecutors from the Chittenden County State’s Attorney’s Office and investigators from the Essex Police Department and Vermont State Police have joined in this investigation and continue to assist in it.

On behalf of the U.S. Department of Justice, I would like to recognize the essential contributions to this investigation made by the Essex Police Department, the Chittenden County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Vermont State Police. We value our partnerships with these agencies greatly, and their work was essential in getting the investigation to this point. I would like to give special recognition to the incredible work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on this case. It was a tremendous effort, involving over 150 agents and resources from around the country.

We will take only limited questions and will not comment further on evidence recovered and other issues relating to the ongoing nature of the investigation.

Most important, our hearts go out to the families of Bill and Lorraine Currier, as well as to their friends and to the community of which they were a part. This was an unspeakable tragedy, but hopefully these developments provide some level of closure for them.

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State’s Attorney T.J. Donovan provided a statement about the impact of the crime on the local community, praising the work of the law enforcement agencies and describing aspects of the earlier state investigation. He also read a statement from the family of William and Lorraine Currier.

Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Rachek discussed the search in Coventry, which he described as the largest in Vermont history, involving 178 FBI agents and resources from around the country on a rotating basis over the 11-week period. SSRA Rachek also thanked and praised the efforts of the Vermont State Police and the Essex Police Department in the investigation.