FILE 83 / 29 August 2018 / 148 MIN / full

Affairs & Stabbings Of The Heart

Essex, VermontListen

The town

N ↑Public placeTown centre (approximate places)
Static locations; no street basemap. Places and details. OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap.

Essex, Vermont, in Chittendon County, which borders New York; northwestern Vermont, close to Canada, about 20 minutes outside Burlington about 0:08:21

History, in brief

1763

The town was incorporated on June 7th, 1763, before American independence.

about 0:10:04

Town note

The Earl of Essex title was first created in the 12th century by King Stephen of England and has been recreated eight times.

about 0:11:04

Town note

Thomas Cromwell, chief minister to King Henry VIII, is possibly the best known of the earls of Essex.

about 0:11:24
All 14 history facts

1763

The town was incorporated on June 7th, 1763, before American independence.

about 0:10:04

Town note

The Earl of Essex title was first created in the 12th century by King Stephen of England and has been recreated eight times.

about 0:11:04

Town note

Thomas Cromwell, chief minister to King Henry VIII, is possibly the best known of the earls of Essex.

about 0:11:24

Town note

The current Earl of Essex is Paul Capell, the 11th Earl, a retired school teacher from Lancashire.

about 0:11:38

Town note

Ira Allen, brother of Ethan Allen, built a dam at a bend of the Winooski River between Essex Junction and Williston.

about 0:12:47

Town note

A sawmill there sent logs down the Winooski to Lake Champlain at Hubbles Falls, where the town's industry began.

about 0:13:41

1892

Essex Junction was formed within the town of Essex in 1892 to provide services to the villagers.

about 0:13:53

1893

Electricity was brought to Essex Junction in 1893.

about 0:14:10

1895

A trolley service began in 1895, a police department followed in 1896 to guard it, and then a library.

about 0:15:31

1900

Public water was made available in 1900, seven years after electricity.

about 0:15:52

1912

A large brick school was built in 1912; it later became Essex High School and is now an elementary school.

about 0:16:56

1957

IBM arrived in 1957 and became a huge local employer.

about 0:17:06

2006

A merger between the town and the village was passed, then changed again in 2006 after years of dispute.

about 0:18:25

The figures, as told

Religious

39.6%

Biggest faith: Catholic, almost 26%

about 0:24:19

Who lives here

White 92.5% · Black 2.16% · Asian 2.5% · Hispanic 1.66%

Ethnicity can overlap race.

Crime / national average

Property crime
▼ about 15% lower

about 0:32:23

Violent crime
▼ about a third less

about 0:32:23

Country Living safest towns ranking
one of their safest towns

about 0:32:40

Money

Median home value$272,600
Two-bedroom rentabout $1,720 a month
Median household income$73,000
Cost of living124

For sale

$255,000

Four-bedroom, two-bath house, 1,612 square feet

about 0:29:26

For sale

$312,500

Four-bedroom, two-bath house, 2,200 square feet

about 0:29:43

For sale

$459,000

Five-bedroom, four-bath house, 3,600 square feet

about 0:30:11
All figures and comparisons, as told in 2018

Property crime

"about 15% lower"

Comparison: "the average". Direction: below.

As told in 2018 about 0:32:23

Violent crime

"about a third less"

Comparison: "the average". Direction: below.

As told in 2018 about 0:32:23

Country Living safest towns ranking

"one of their safest towns"

No direction stated.

As told in 2018 about 0:32:40

Population

"20,946"

No direction stated.

As told in 2018 about 0:19:35

Population change since 1990

"up 27%"

Direction: above.

As told in 2018 about 0:19:35

Median age

"about 40"

Comparison: "about three years higher than the average". Direction: above.

As told in 2018 about 0:22:20

White residents

"92.5%"

No direction stated.

As told in 2018 about 0:23:10

Black residents

"2.16%"

No direction stated.

As told in 2018 about 0:23:20

Asian residents

"2.5%"

Comparison: "about half the normal population of Asians". Direction: below.

As told in 2018 about 0:23:46

Hispanic residents

"1.66%"

Comparison: "normally 17%". No direction stated.

As told in 2018 about 0:23:56

Religious residents

"39.6%"

Comparison: "about 50-50 is the average". Direction: below.

As told in 2018 about 0:24:19

Catholic

"almost 26%"

No direction stated.

As told in 2018 about 0:24:26

Democrat

"about 70%"

No direction stated.

As told in 2018 about 0:26:09

Students per teacher

"13"

No direction stated.

As told in 2018 about 0:26:40

Spending per student

"about $4,000 more"

Comparison: "the average". No direction stated.

As told in 2018 about 0:26:09

Unemployment rate

"2.8%"

Comparison: "about half the national average". Direction: below.

As told in 2018 about 0:27:07

Household income

"$73,000"

Comparison: "national median about $53,000, about $20,000 higher". Direction: above.

As told in 2018 about 0:27:19

Cost of living index

"124"

Comparison: "100 is average". Direction: above.

As told in 2018 about 0:28:05

Median home cost

"$272,600"

No direction stated.

As told in 2018 about 0:28:10

Homes priced $200,000 to $300,000

"about 41%"

No direction stated.

As told in 2018 about 0:28:18

Two-bedroom rent

"about $1,720 a month"

Comparison: "about $500 more than the national average". Direction: above.

As told in 2018 about 0:29:01

Four-bedroom, two-bath house, 1,612 square feet

"$255,000"

No direction stated.

As told in 2018 about 0:29:26

Four-bedroom, two-bath house, 2,200 square feet

"$312,500"

No direction stated.

As told in 2018 about 0:29:43

Five-bedroom, four-bath house, 3,600 square feet

"$459,000"

No direction stated.

As told in 2018 about 0:30:11

The reviews

No rated reviews

No reviews recorded.

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The story

They had two children, Jason, born in 1972, and Jennifer, born in 1975, and by all accounts lived an ordinary life. Michael worked for years for Harrison Concrete Construction and the family stayed in the same house for 18 years. He was a small man, five foot four and about 135 pounds.

The marriage staggered on through separations and reconciliations while the affair continued.

In spring 1985 she told her mother she was going through with the divorce.

On 9 July the Durenleaus planned a reconciliation celebration. They ordered one beer, stayed about 15 minutes, left three quarters of it and walked to the car. As Michael reached the passenger door he was struck on the back of the head with a blunt instrument and stabbed twice in the heart. He was taken for surgery but did not survive. She ran into the bar shouting that her husband had been hit but did not direct the patrons to the rear lot, so they searched the street first. The owner of Flanders Lumber, John Pa Powell, had seen a pickup driving suspiciously through his yard about half an hour earlier, with a man getting out briefly and back in.

The next day she took a polygraph and passed it, but police learned she had taken sedatives beforehand; she refused to take another. He consulted a lawyer and then took an unscheduled trip to Oregon. The state police found no fingerprints or physical evidence pointing to anyone, and the original case file was stolen from the Essex police station in 1987 and had to be reconstructed from copies.

The former chief medical examiner, Dr Elinor McQuillan, testified that two people appeared to have attacked Michael, that either knife wound could have been fatal, that both head blows would have knocked him out, and that at least one stab wound came before the head blows because he had defence wounds on his right palm and three fingers. Sorrell argued it was a premeditated, cold-blooded murder.

She complained of chest pains and was taken to hospital, and her bail was revoked. Ten officers were on hand and everyone entering court was searched. She was about 42.

A retrial hearing in January 1993 failed. The sledgehammer handle said to be a weapon had been lost or destroyed and the defence argued a railroad switch handle could have been used, but the judge ruled against her. In July 1994 she sought permission to attend her daughter's wedding at the American Legion in St Albans, which the state opposed. Double jeopardy barred any retrial.

Police were called to a domestic dispute in a parked car near the West Street extension.

The case

Murder of Michael Durenleau

Victims

Michael Durenleau. husband, a father of two who worked for years for Harrison Concrete Construction; five foot four and about 135 pounds

Accused and outcomes

As told in the episode, on 29 August 2018.

Accused

Accused

Outcome

Other people

Brenda Donna. wife, who learned of the affair ten days before the killing
Theresa Dumont. mother, who told police about threats
Jason Durenleau. and Michael's son, born 1972
Jennifer Durenleau. and Michael's daughter, born 1975
William Sorrell. state's attorney who prosecuted the case
Peter Langrock. defence lawyer
Dick Gadbois. attorney
John Pa Powell. owner of Flanders Lumber, who saw a pickup in the yard before the killing
Charles Blasdell. IBM employee who came to Michael's aid
Douglas Balenco. IBM employee who came to Michael's aid
Lieutenant Robin J. Howadell. Essex police lieutenant at the scene
Leon Barrard. later husband

The timeline

  1. early 1970s and Michael Durenleau marryabout 0:35:03
  2. 1972 Their son Jason is bornabout 0:35:07
  3. 1975 Their daughter Jennifer is bornabout 0:35:07
  4. June 1984 begins an affair with about 0:41:39
  5. August 1984 files for divorceabout 0:41:42
  6. 1984 She withdraws the divorce petitionabout 0:44:35
  7. November 1984 tells a friend she would have fewer problems if her husband were deadabout 0:48:25
  8. spring 1985 tells her mother she will go through with the divorce and marry about 0:50:17
  9. spring 1985 The life insurance death benefit is raised by more than $90,000, with Michael's signature forgedabout 1:21:51
  10. spring 1985 tells she will resume sleeping with Michael unless he proves himselfabout 0:51:45
  11. June 1985 announces the affair is over and that she has reconciled with Michaelabout 0:53:46
  12. July 2, 1985 Brenda Donna learns of her husband's affairabout 1:26:14
  13. July 4, 1985 is seen with at a Fourth of July partyabout 0:54:31
  14. July 9, 1985 The Durenleaus plan their reconciliation celebration at Veronica's Tavern (Veronica's Tavern)about 0:55:47
  15. July 12, 1985, about 9.30 p.m. drives Michael from Swanton to Essex and parks behind the tavern (Veronica's Tavern rear parking lot)about 0:59:07
  16. July 12, 1985 After 15 minutes and three quarters of a beer they leave the bar (Veronica's Tavern)about 1:01:29
  17. July 12, 1985 Michael is struck on the back of the head and stabbed twice in the heart (Veronica's Tavern rear parking lot)about 1:02:31

Places and phrases

N ↑Public placeTown centre (approximate places)
Static locations; no street basemap. Places and details. OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap.

Places in the story

Public places are marked on the map.

Heard in this episode