STATE OF VERMONT
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
VERMONT STATE POLICE - WILLISTON

PRESS RELEASE

DATE OF RELEASE:  December 17, 2009

INCIDENT:  Homicide

CASE #:  06A105324

INVESTIGATOR:   Sgt. Lance Burnham

DATE OF INCIDENT:  November 2006        

LOCATION:  Westford, VT    

VICTIM: Mary Wilcox, age 78 of Westford, VT
 
ACCUSED:

Jeanne Sevigny, age 59 of Westford, VT Charged with 2nd Degree Homicide (Daughter to the victim)

Greg Sevigny, age 30 of Westford, VT – Charge with Unlawful Disposal of a Human Body  (Grandson to the victim)

SUMMARY OF INCIDENT:

On November 10th 2006 the Vermont State Police began an investigation into the disappearance of Mary Wilcox, age 78 of Westford, VT.  Wilcox, who was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, was residing and being cared for by her daughter, Jeanne Sevigny at the time of her disappearance at  Sevigny’s residence in Westford, Vermont.

During the initial investigation, Jeanne Sevigny was interviewed and provided detailed information concerning her mother’s disappearance. The information provided by Jeanne Sevigny led the police to believe that Wilcox wandered away from the residence while Sevigny had left her unattended for several hours during the day of November 9th.

As a result of the information provided by Sevigny, the State Police initiated an extensive search of the area in an attempt to locate Wilcox.  In spite of these efforts, Wilcox was never located and the investigation has remained open and active since that time.  Additional leads in Wilcox’s disappearance therefore have been pursued over the years and there was an additional ground search of the area in July of 2007 in an attempt to locate Wilcox’s remains.

Recently the State Police interviewed a person who came forward that provided new information in the case, which contradicted Jeanne Sevigny’s account of her mother’s disappearance.

Acting on this new information, State Police Detectives interviewed Jeanne Sevigny and Greg Sevigny  concerning Wilcox’s disappearance.  Greg Sevigny is Jeanne Sevigny’s son and the grandson of Mary Wilcox.

As a result of these interviews and additional investigation it was learned that Jeanne Sevigny was actually responsible for her mother’s death. Detectives further learned that following Wilcox’s death, Jeanne Sevigny had burned Wilcox’s body on her property in an attempt to conceal her death. The remains were then given to Sevigny’s son, Greg, for disposal. Greg Sevigny then buried Wilcox’s remains with the assistance of a friend in a wooded area in Westford, Vermont.  Jeanne Sevigny then reported her missing on November 10th and lied to police concerning the true circumstances of Wilcox’s disappearance.

As a result of this investigation, Jeanne Sevigny was arrested for the offense of 2nd degree murder and will be arraigned in Chittenden District Court on December  17, 2009 at 10:30 hours. Greg Sevigny was also arrested for the offense of Unlawful Disposal of a Human Body and will also be arraigned at the same location and time. Greg Sevigny’s friend, which assisted in burying Wilcox’s remains, is cooperating with Detectives and no criminal charges are being filed at this time.

This investigation is still active at this time. State Police intend on conducting new searches to locate and recover Wilcox’s remains based on the new information learned during this investigation.