While police initially suspected that the May 22 killing of Amos Beede, 38, was fueled by bias, detectives now believe he was killed as part of an ongoing feud between two encampments off Pine Street, del Pozo said.
Beede, who lived in Milton but often visited the encampments, recently dumped bottles of urine into Averill’s tent. Averill allegedly enlisted the three other suspects to beat Beede in retaliation.
The four suspects used their feet and hands, police said. No weapons were involved. According to the police, there are several witnesses to the killing. Averill had previously assaulted residents of city homeless encampments, del Pozo said.
Each suspect has been charged with second-degree murder. Beede suffered a subdural hematoma, broken ribs and broken facial bones.
Del Pozo said that GPS tracking of one of the suspects’ cell phones — combined with information from license plate readers, which scan passing cars and store their locations in a national database — helped authorities track the suspects to New Mexico and California.
“We are a compassionate city, [but] our general position to the encampments is they are unlawful,” Weinberger said.
Beede’s family members have scheduled a public memorial service to commemorate Beede on Wednesday, June 8 at 6 p.m., at Perkins Pier in Burlington. The family released a statement Thursday through the Pride Center of Vermont saying that his relatives were devastated by his death.
“The Beede family would like everyone to know how much the loss of Amos has affected our family,” their statement said. “The horrific, brutal attack that led to his death has had a tremendous impact on our family. We are heartbroken. A big piece of our lives has been ripped away from us way too soon.”
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I would bet that the vast majority of those reduced to living in these fringe camps have been damaged in multiple ways, through mental illness, neglect, abuse, poverty, PTSD and more. They are never victims of too much love. Who in their right minds would choose this life?
Differentiate homeless from murderers. Most homeless (I was, and knew of these people) are good people down on their luck. Most gave me food and clothing. Most were kind and trying to get homes. Burlington needs affordable housing. Yes, choosing homelessness is stupid. But don’t lump these drunk violent transients with all homeless people. It just isn’t true. My heart goes out to all who knew Amos. Remember folks, if it happened to me, it could happen to you! Stay safe my friends.Love a little harder today. Paul Soychak
We need a program like the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, which was designed to keep young men employed and supervised who would otherwise be unemployed and a possible danger as they drifted around. The CCC was the most popular New Deal program, and it basically reforested much of the US, built thousands of parks, etc. Young men were housed and fed and supervised, and they worked for a small wage. They gained valuable skills to help in being employable after their time in the CCC. There’s plenty that needs doing in this country, and if they’re going to live in a camp, it might as well be a work camp that keeps them out of trouble and teaches them something and does some good for the community. If you’re able-bodied enough to kill a man with your bare hands, you’re able-bodied enough to wield a shovel. Obviously, a modern version would include women as well as men, and, it goes without saying in our times (at least around here), it would have to include some component of rehab and drug counseling.