Vermont State Police BURLINGTON, Vermont (April 10, 2019) As part of the ongoing criminal investigation into the March 14 death of Douglas Kilburn in Burlington, the Vermont State Police has received formal notification that the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office has issued its determination of the cause and manner of Mr. Kilburn’s death.
The office listed the cause of death as “undetermined terminal mechanism due to multiple underlying conditions,” with the contributing conditions being “hypertension; cardiac and cerebral vascular disease; obesity; diabetes type 2; and skull fractures due to blunt impact.” The manner of death was determined to be homicide. The Medical Examiner’s Office further determined that Mr. Kilburn suffered an injury at about 6 p.m. March 11, 2019, when he was struck by another person in a parking lot at 111 Colchester Ave. in Burlington.
The Vermont State Police, which took over the death investigation at the request of the Burlington Police Department, is continuing to examine all aspects of this case, including the use of force by Burlington Police Officer Corey Campbell. The Vermont Attorney General’s Office will conduct an independent review of the Vermont State Police investigation upon its conclusion.
As the case remains active and ongoing, the state police will have no further comment at this time.
***Update No. 1 , 4:15 p.m. Friday, March 15, 2019***
As the death investigation continues Friday, March 15, the Vermont State Police is identifying the individuals involved.
The deceased is identified as Douglas Kilburn, 54, of Burlington. Mr. Kilburn lived in the Northgate Apartments off North Avenue.
The Burlington police officer is identified as Corey Campbell.
An autopsy was performed Friday at the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington. A final determination of the cause and manner of Mr. Kilburn’s death is pending toxicology results, which can take several weeks.
Questions about Officer Campbell’s duty status and years of service should be directed to the Burlington Police Department.
No additional information is currently available. Updates will be provided as soon as possible.
***Initial news release, 11:10 p.m. Thursday, March 14, 2019***
The Vermont State Police is investigating the death of a Burlington man following a request from the Burlington Police Department.
The incident began Monday, March 11, when staff members at the University of Vermont Medical Center called Burlington police to report a disorderly individual, age 54, in the Emergency Department. When police responded, the man assaulted an officer in a parking lot before the officer was able to gain control of the suspect. The man was treated at the hospital for injuries sustained in the altercation and discharged on Tuesday, March 12. He received a citation for suspicion of disorderly conduct, assault on a law enforcement officer and trespassing.
On Thursday afternoon, March 14, the man was found deceased at his home in Burlington. Burlington police requested that the Vermont State Police respond to conduct an independent investigation into the incident.
An autopsy is planned for Friday, March 15, at the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington to determine the cause and manner of death. At this stage of the investigation, no link has been established between the confrontation with the Burlington police officer and the man’s death.
The names of the deceased man and the officer are being withheld at this time. More information will be released as soon as it becomes available.