Searsburg Remains Identified; Authorities Investigating as Homicide

01:01PM / Monday, September 21, 2020Print Story | Email Story

State Police are seeking information about Jessica Hildenbrandt's whereabouts last summer.

SEARSBURG, Vt. — The remains discovered last year at gravel pit on Somerset Road have been identified as Jessica Hildenbrandt, 43, of Ballston Spa, N.Y.

Authorities said on Monday that her death is being investigated as a homicide.

Hildenbrandt, who went by the nickname "Red," spent considerable time in Vermont, especially in and around Bennington, state police reported. She was last in touch with her family in July 2019.

Someone came across a jawbone in the gravel pit on Sept. 17, 2019, and reported this to state police at the Shaftsbury barracks. The bone was taken to the chief medical examiner's office in Burlington and a search found more human remains at the site.

Detectives Lt. John-Paul Schmidt and Sgt. Samuel Truex say in their report that DNA analysis and "extensive investigation" led to the positive idenfication of Hildebrandt.

While the death has been ruled a homicide, the cause is currently undetermined.

Detectives with the State Police Criminal Division continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding this death. Police do not believe there is a threat to public safety.

Anyone who might have information that could be relevant to the investigation is asked to contact Truex at 802-442-5421 or at samuel.truex@vermont.gov.

Police would especially like to hear from anyone who thinks they might have seen Hildenbrandt in summer 2019.

Tags: homicide, murder,

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VTF&W: Hunters Urged to Wear Orange

11:45AM / Sunday, October 18, 2026

MONTPELIER, Vt. — Vermont Fish and Wildlife is reminding hunters to wear fluorescent hunter orange.

"Hunting is one of the safest outdoor activities, thanks to advances in education as well as science," said Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Jason Batchelder. "Our volunteer hunter education instructors stress that wearing orange during hunting season is important, and studies prove that wearing fluorescent hunter orange keeps hunters visible to other people in the woods."

"We should strive to be the safest we can by wearing at least a hunter orange hat and vest," added Vermont Hunter Education Program Coordinator Nicole Meier. "Deer are most active during dawn and dusk hours when visibility is low. You can improve your chances of being seen by other hunters by wearing hunter orange, which can be seen even in low-light situations."

"While it isn't recommended to wear orange during waterfowl and turkey seasons, we certainly still recommend hunter orange when you are going to and from your blind, treestand or calling spot," added Meier.

While some hunters might be concerned that deer are scared by hunter orange, in fact deer have been shown to be unaffected by the color. A deer's vision is based on movement, patterns and color variations. Unlike humans, deer do not have multiple color receptors in their eyes. They can see color, but their spectrum is limited. This means deer must rely heavily on their ability to detect movement over the ability to interpret color variations and patterns.

Hunting in Vermont continues to be a safe recreational pursuit and hunters can help keep it that way by choosing to wear hunter orange. This video shows how much more visible hunters are when wearing orange: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kjSI79ss9I

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