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** This is an archived, static copy of the Casebook messages boards dating from 1998 to 2003. These threads cannot be replied to here. If you want to participate in our current forums please go to https://forum.casebook.org **
Murder of Orville Gibson
Casebook Message Boards: Beyond Whitechapel - Other Crimes: Murder of Orville Gibson
Author: Rodney Gillis
Tuesday, 26 February 2002 - 05:44 pm |        | I am doing research on an interesting murder that took place in the small New England town of Newbury, Vermont. I now live in Newbury and if anyone has any documented information, I would be greatly in your debt.
Orville Gibson was a dairy farmer who had been accused of severley beating a hired hand who had spilled milk. On January 30th, 1957, Gibson left his house early in the morning to milk his cows and was never seen alive again. His bound body was found floating in the nearby Connecticut River the following spring.
Just under 400 people lived in the village at the time and many of these people were apparently upset with Gibson over the altercation with the hired hand. Police suspected that some of the townspeople were involved because Gibson's wife claimed that she and her husband received phone calls saying that if Gibson came into town, "we'll do him up." 84 villagers were asked to take a lie detector test and all passed. A clairvoyant was brought in who claimed she saw the body in a white barn.
Two men were charged with the murder but both were acquitted.The case remains unsolved and even though Newbury is a lovely town and most of the people who were living in the town at the time of the murder are now gone, Newbury is known as the town where, "some guy was murdered and the whole town knows but nobody will say anything."
From my study, I can see the old Gibson barn where the murder probably took place. When I bought my house, I was told by the lawyer at the settlement table to never bring the subject up. I have spoken to my neighbors and most don't like to talk about the case and some wish the barn would be torn down. The two retired lead detectives involved in the case have given interviews where they have expressed the hope that some old villager with a guilty conscience would come forward with information, but nothing.
For those who are interested, there is an article about this case in Life: Nov. 2nd, 1959. Another article can be found in the December, 1987 issue of Yankee magazine. There are also articles from local newspapers at the time of the murder and subsequent trials. I'm always hoping to uncover other sources so if anyone has heard of this case and can help, I would be greatly interested.
Thanks,
Rod |
Author: Christopher T George
Wednesday, 27 February 2002 - 09:32 am | | Hi, Rodney:
Looks as if this murder was also covered in Magnetic North magazine, Winter 1987. The magazine's website gives a summary of the article: "The Killing of Orville Gibson...pg.45 An 1957 murder that refuses to die. Going by the evidence, the Newbury farmer was murdered by his neighbors. Nobody was convicted. We don't know who did it, either. / Ramsey"
Hope this helps, Rodney. Will keep my eyes open for anything else on the murder. Thanks for posting on yet another murder mystery!
Best regards
Chris George |
Author: Rodney Gillis
Thursday, 28 February 2002 - 12:56 pm | | Chris,
Thanks so much for the citation. I found it on the web but I can't get the entire article, I can only get the summary you were so kind to find.
While I am here, I want to mention to everyone that I work in the library system at Dartmouth. I am responsible for many of the newspapers printed in England at the time of JTR and would be happy to help in any way that I can.
Thanks again,
Rod |
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