MONKTON/BURLINGTON — Williston resident Kory Lee George, 31, on Friday pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder in the July 11 killing of his stepfather, David Auclair.
George, formerly of Monkton, also pleaded not guilty to charges of burglary and obstruction of justice related to the case.
George, who has been held without bail since Sept. 5 on federal firearms charges, professed his innocence to the state murder charge in Chittenden Superior Court, Criminal Division. The charge against the five-time convicted felon came two days after his mother — and David Auclair’s wife — Angela Auclair pleaded not guilty in the same court to charges of aiding in the commission of a felony (that felony being first-degree murder) and obstruction of justice arising from the slaying.
On July 11, 2019, longtime Monkton resident David Auclair was shot to death in the parking lot of the LaPlatte Headwaters Town Forest trailhead in Hinesburg, just across the town line from the house that he and Angela owned off Cattail Lane in Monkton.
In addition to Angela Auclair and Kory George, other key figures in the police investigation of the homicide include George’s wife (then-girlfriend) Kirstin Stillwell and Angela Auclair’s boyfriend John Turner of Huntington.
At the time of David Auclair’s death, he and Angela Auclair had been living in Williston because their Monkton home at 116 Cattail Lane was listed for sale. Evidence obtained from electronic devices suggests that this situation was a source of tension among the involved parties.
Police have noted that since David Auclair was killed, the Cattail Lane house is no longer for sale and that Angela Auclair, Turner, George, Stillwell and other individuals moved back into it.
In numerous court documents filed between September and December, prosecutors spelled out their evidence of Angela Auclair’s and Kory George’s alleged involvement in David Auclair’s murder. The following is a timeline of the evidence on which prosecutors have based their allegations, which was uncovered by state and federal investigators through interviews, searches of electronic devices, items seized through search warrants and other means. Throughout this timeline the Independent refers to the principals as simply “David,” “Angela” and “Kory.”
These are allegations; none of the people mentioned below have been convicted (except where noted) and those charged have maintained their innocence.
MAY 27
• Kory and Angela discuss, via phone, an encounter between David and Angela’s boyfriend, John Turner, in the Auclair residence. At one point Kory states, “I’m telling you if he touches me I’m going to swing on him though, I’ve really had my fill of him and him yelling in my face.” Later, Angela messages Kory: “I think it’s time for him to be ..::::::”
EARLY JULY
• Kory and Angela discuss killing David, according to Kory’s ex-girlfriend, who was present at the time. “Kory was gonna get a burner phone and call Dave, have him meet him somewhere on the side of the road and act as if he was … broken down … and that he would come and help him because that’s his son,” the ex-girlfriend tells investigators. She also says the two discussed calling David to a deserted road in Hinesburg, where gunshots would not be heard. The ex-girlfriend later questioned Kory about the conversation and he said, “My mom was joking.”
JULY 10
• 2 p.m. – Angela urges David to invite James Synnott out to dinner that night. Synnott is an Auclair family friend who lives in Colchester. An hour later David invites Synnott to dinner at the Lighthouse restaurant in Colchester.
• 4:45 p.m. – Angela texts Kory: “Come to mall cause your gonna have to leave from here.”
• 5:07 p.m. – Evidence suggests Angela met with Turner, Kory and Stillwell at the University Mall in South Burlington before meeting her husband and Synnott for dinner at the Lighthouse. Evidence suggests that after her meeting at the mall Angela travels to the Lighthouse, while Turner, Kory and Stillwell drive to Synnott’s Colchester residence.
• 5:48 p.m. – A text from Angela to Kory suggests that David and Synnott have not arrived at the Lighthouse restaurant yet.
• 5:50 p.m. – Synnott’s neighbor’s security camera footage suggests that Synnott leaves his house. Online mapping data suggest that it would take about 10 minutes to drive to the Lighthouse restaurant.
• 6 p.m. – A text from Angela to Kory says: “ok.”
• 6:04 p.m. – Synnott’s neighbor’s camera records a red sedan, consistent with a Toyota Corolla registered to Turner, traveling past Synnott’s house. Minutes later it records a man carrying a black bag walking up Synnott’s driveway.
• 6:07–6:18 p.m. – Synnott’s ADT security system records doors opening and closing in his house.
• 6:23 p.m. – Synnott’s neighbor’s camera records a red sedan driving away from the dead end of Synnott’s road.
• Stillwell later tells detectives that Kory told her he had to do an “errand” for Angela that night.
• Synnott later reports that guns went missing from his residence sometime between July 4 and 19. One of those guns, a 9mm Beretta, will later be identified as the gun that was used to kill David Auclair.
• 10:30 p.m. – Neighbors of the Auclair house in Monkton hear several gunshots fired. State police will later recover three 9mm cartridge casings and one 9mm cartridge from the parcel of land next to 116 Cattail Lane and the Vermont Forensic Lab will conclude that they were fired by the same Beretta that was stolen from Synnott and used to kill David.
JULY 11
• Someone pays cash for a TCL TracFone at the Rite Aid in Milton, using the frequent shopper ID associated with a Burlington friend of Kory’s, who would later tell investigators she didn’t allow her card to be used and doesn’t know why it was.
The TGL TracFone is activated the same day.
• 9:15 p.m. – David’s phone receives a call from the TCL TracFone purchased at the Milton Rite Aid.
• 9:45 p.m. – David Auclair is shot to death in the parking lot of the LaPlatte Headwaters Town Forest trailhead in Hinesburg. A neighboring surveillance system captures audio of 14 gunshots.
• 9:52 p.m. – Hinesburg police receive a report of gunshots in the area of LaPlatte.
• Responding officers locate the body of David Auclair.
• 10–11 p.m. – Kory and Stillwell arrive at the residence of the Burlington friend whose Rite Aid frequent shopper ID was used to purchase the TracFone. Kory tells the Burlington friend that he needs ammonia to wash his clothes and hands — to remove gunshot residue — explaining that he had been teaching Stillwell how to shoot guns and was worried about getting in trouble with his parole officer.
• 11:01 p.m. – The Burlington friend purchases five bottles of ammonia at the Hannaford supermarket on North Avenue in Burlington, according to a store receipt. Security camera footage shows the friend and Stillwell together at the register.
• The friend washes Kory’s clothes at his request.
• Kory takes an “ammonia shower” and can be heard to complain that it burns, according to a witness, who told police that he later observed empty ammonia containers in the bathroom.
• A gas receipt puts Turner in Colchester at the time of David’s death.
JULY 12
• 7:15 and 7:45 a.m. – Angela calls David’s employer and says she hasn’t heard from her husband since 10:30 p.m. the night before, and adds that David had been called out for a work emergency.
• 8:05 a.m. – Angela calls the Williston Police Department and reports David missing. The investigation later reveals that David did not get called into work on the night of July 11 and that there were no logs of any emergency work.
• Authorities determine that David’s shooting death was a homicide. He was shot 11 times. Nine 9mm bullets are recovered from his body.
• Investigators process the homicide scene but cannot find any cartridge casings, suggesting that they were removed at the time of the homicide.
JULY 14
• The Beretta that was stolen from Synnott’s house and used to kill David is recovered from Lewis Creek near Tyler Bridge Road, not far from the Auclair property at 116 Cattail Lane.
JULY 15
• Detectives searching the area where the Beretta had been found recover a cellphone later determined to be the TCL TracFone purchased at the Milton Rite Aid on July 11 and used to call David a half-hour before his death.
JULY 19
• Synnott reports that several handguns, including the Beretta, were stolen from his residence sometime between July 4 and 19.
SEPT. 3
• Stillwell tells investigators that Angela told her to lie about her whereabouts on the night of July 11.
• Stillwell tells investigators that a shotgun recovered by police from her and Kory’s trailer at 116 Cattail Lane had been obtained from her uncle “Mike,” whose last name she can’t remember. When police tell Stillwell they know that the gun was stolen Stillwell says, “That was another thing Ang told me to lie about.”
SEPT. 6
• Kory is charged in federal court with being a felon in possession of firearms, including the Beretta police say was used to kill David. He pleads not guilty and is held without bail. The scope of the investigation widens later that month, then again in November, as additional search warrants are executed.
SEPT. 7
• In an audio-recorded phone call from jail, Kory appears to urge Stillwell, who is now his wife, to talk to a mutual contact, initials CP, about something that is “detrimental.”
OCT. 1
• Kory’s Burlington friend who had purchased ammonia after the homicide tells investigators that after Kory went to jail she was contacted by CP, who told her “Kory said, maintain the story,” or something similar.
OCT. 29
• CP acknowledges that Stillwell contacted him in September and asked him to tell the Burlington friend something to the effect of “maintain the story or stick to what happened.” Or to not talk to the police. When later asked if he thinks Stillwell’s message was coming from Kory, CP tells police he thought it was.
NOV. 4
• The Burlington friend receives a mailed letter that she feels is threatening. The letter, signed by a “T.,” ends with, “Not good if people decide to change up their stories and start lying to people charged for s*** they didn’t do. That would be horrible for everyone’s future. As only loyalty deserves loyalty. Hope all is well with the family, your new job, and your daughter in school.” Investigators have not identified the sender.
NOV. 21
• Vermont State Police Detective James Vooris submits an affidavit containing the information that has been referenced in this article.
• According to Vooris, throughout the investigation, Angela, Turner and Stillwell provided inaccurate and inconsistent statements to detectives and denied knowledge of circumstances surrounding David’s homicide.
• Vooris adds that Kory consented to searches of his cellphone numerous times and that Turner consented to a search of his device.
DEC. 11
• Angela Auclair pleads not guilty to charges of aiding in the commission of a felony (first-degree murder) and obstruction of justice arising from the shooting of David Auclair.
DEC. 13
• Kory George pleads not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder in the killing of David Auclair.