ROYALTON — A 41-year-old man who was killed outside a Royalton home early Tuesday died from a single gunshot wound to his torso, according to a Vermont State Police news release.
An autopsy by the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington on Wednesday determined that George Sun was killed by the gunshot and that it was a homicide, the release said. Sun was one of two people shot outside the home on 4497 Route 14 in Royalton around 3 a.m. Tuesday. The other victim, Dakota Fielder, 26, was injured and is in fair condition at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.
On Wednesday, police charged the son of Sun’s ex-girlfriend, 28-year-old Francis Phelps III, with second-degree murder, aggravated assault with a weapon, and possession of a firearm in relation to the shooting. He pleaded not guilty during an arraignment at Windsor Superior Court on Wednesday.
Police said the shooting stemmed from disputes between Sun and his ex-girlfriend Rebecca Wheeler early Tuesday, according to court documents.
The disputes came to a head when Sun and Fielder arrived at the home of Timothy Phelps, another of Wheeler’s sons. Outside the home, they were confronted by Francis Phelps, who fired several shots, hitting both Sun and Fielder, according to court documents.
Police believe Francis Phelps may have also used a baton to hit the two men; a baton was found in a nearby car, and a piece of a broken baton was found outside the house, court documents said. A judge ordered Phelps held without bail following his hearing Wednesday. A future court date has not been scheduled.