A Bennington County jury convicted Elliot Russell, 49, of first-degree premeditated murder on May 11, 2026, in the October 2022 shooting death of Ulysses Ivey [1][2]. The case proceeded to trial in Bennington Superior Court, Criminal Division, on a single count of first-degree murder, the charge requiring the State to prove Russell acted with premeditation and deliberation [1].
Prosecutors presented evidence that Russell lured Ivey to a Green Mountain Power electrical substation in Bennington before shooting him [1][2]. Ivey survived long enough to call 911 and identify Russell by name as his shooter before dying from his wounds, giving the State a direct dying identification [1][2]. Deputy State's Attorney Jared Bianchi led the prosecution [1].
Russell now faces a sentence of life in prison [1][2]. No sentencing date has been publicly reported. Vermont does not have the death penalty, making life without parole the maximum exposure on a first-degree murder conviction.
The conviction carries regional significance: first-degree murder charges, which require proof of premeditation, are rarely brought in Bennington County, and this verdict represents one of only a small number of such convictions in the county's recorded history [1]. No post-trial motions or appeals have been reported as of the date of publication.