WEST PAWLET, VT — Vermont State Police have arrested two men in connection with an August assault that resulted in the death of a 54-year-old West Pawlet man.
Richard J. Mattison, 42, of Poultney, was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon at a home in Wells on charges of first-degree murder and assault and robbery.
Mattison was processed at the state police barracks in Rutland and jailed without bail pending arraignment scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Thursday in the Criminal Division of Vermont Superior Court in Rutland.
The arrest follows the apprehension of Stephen J. Williams Jr., 38, of Granville, New York, who was arrested Friday by New York State Police in Granville on charges related to burglaries in that community and on a Vermont warrant for assault and robbery.
Williams was jailed in New York and is expected to be extradited to Vermont to face charges at a later date.
The charges stem from an assault on Mark Ray at the Newmont Slate Quarry on Aug. 24.
Ray died Nov. 12 at Albany Medical Center in New York from injuries related to the assault.
An autopsy performed Nov. 14 determined the cause of death was pneumonia and severe traumatic brain injury due to assault, and the manner of death was ruled a homicide.
Vermont arrest warrants were granted Feb. 12 as a result of the state police investigation.
Troopers received a report of a suspicious incident at about 9:51 a.m. on Aug. 24 at the quarry on Vermont Route 149.
Ray had been transported from the scene by medical first responders before troopers arrived and was subsequently taken to Albany Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.
