NEWS

Charges in suspicious death pending

JESSIE FORAND

A person of interest in the May death of Forrest Bryant could face additional charges following the receipt of a medical examiner's report.

Mark Deludeappears in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington on May 20.

Mark Delude, 52, has been found competent, defense attorney Peggy Jansch said during a hearing Monday afternoon at Vermont Superior Court in Burlington.

A psychiatric evaluation had been ordered at Delude's May 20 arraignment for obstruction of justice and an unrelated unlawful trespass charge.

Delude and Bryant, 40, were involved in an altercation the night or morning before Bryant's body was found, police said last month.

Officials have called the death suspicious, and on May 19 Burlington police named Delude as a person of interest.

Bryant's body was located in Delude's Burlington hut at about 7:10 a.m. May 17, according to court records. Multiple injuries were reported on the body, including cuts on the left cheek, shoulder, elbow and hand, bruising on the neck and clavicle and hash marks in the shape of a cross on the chest and abdomen.

Others at the scene claimed Delude was responsible for Bryant's death. At a May 19 news conference, Chittenden County State's Attorney TJ Donovan said Delude had been arrested more than 75 times.

Delude did not appear at Monday's hearing. He is currently incarcerated for lack of $10,000 bail at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans.

Public defenders Margaret Jansch and Stacie Johnson represented Delude at Monday's hearing.

Jansch told Judge Samuel Hoar the state was waiting for a medical examiner's report before deciding whether to bring homicide charges against Delude.

That report should be completed within the next two weeks, she said.

"Once the report is ready, that will generate activity in the case," Jansch said.

The case will be discussed again July 25.

Contact Jessie Forand at jforand@freepressmedia.com or 651-4859.