FILE 692 / 17 April 2026 / 73 MIN / express

One Deadly Twist

St. Albans, VermontListen

The town

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

This is St. Albans, Vermont, ALBA NS... in northwestern Vermont, all up by Canada; this is in Franklin County. about 0:03:58

History, in brief

Town note

Named after St. Albans in Hertfordshire, England.

about 0:05:49

Town note

First settled during the Revolutionary War by Jesse Weldon; the war delayed further settlement.

about 0:05:55

Town note

After the Revolutionary War settlers came from around New England for the rich soil, good for cultivation.

about 0:06:00

Town note

Farmers raised cattle, horses and sheep, and a lot of butter and cheese came out of the area.

about 0:06:12
All 9 history facts

Town note

Named after St. Albans in Hertfordshire, England.

about 0:05:49

Town note

First settled during the Revolutionary War by Jesse Weldon; the war delayed further settlement.

about 0:05:55

Town note

After the Revolutionary War settlers came from around New England for the rich soil, good for cultivation.

about 0:06:00

Town note

Farmers raised cattle, horses and sheep, and a lot of butter and cheese came out of the area.

about 0:06:12

Town note

Known as the Rail City because it was home to a major depot, operations centre and repair shop for the Vermont and Canada Railroads.

about 0:06:22

1864

The northernmost engagement of the Civil War, the St. Albans Raid, took place here in 1864.

about 0:06:37

1902

The city of St. Albans was incorporated in 1902, two square miles inside the town of St. Albans.

about 0:06:48

Town note

Visitors come for the old school houses and the Victorian and craftsman houses, and a lot of trains still pass through.

about 0:06:57

2014

Home for a time to the Vermont Voltage semi-professional men's soccer team, which folded in 2014.

about 0:07:08

The figures, as told

Money

Median home value$298,100
Median household income$49,000
All figures and comparisons, as told in 2026

Population

"6,866"

No direction stated.

As told in 2026 about 0:05:07

Median household income

"$49,000"

Comparison: "about $69,000 nationally". No direction stated.

As told in 2026 about 0:05:21

Median home cost

"$298,100"

No direction stated.

As told in 2026 about 0:05:31

The reviews

2.8 / 5 · average of 4

3.2 stars

“Only 3.2 stars on Niche, with no five-star reviews.”
about 0:07:27

4 stars

“An overall quiet town, well known for maple syrup; not a whole lot to do unless you drive to bigger cities like Burlington, but the trees and mountains are beautiful in the fall and there is great snowboarding and skiing.”
about 0:07:43

3 stars

“It needs a lot of work; the city and town need a bigger police force with a greater presence to reduce drug-related crime, because drug deals take place out in the open with little discretion and the people involved can be threatening.”
about 0:08:07

1 star

“A parent's review headed 'the all caps worst school ever': children were bullied, a child with a learning disability was ignored, and parents illegally parked in no-parking zones and drove the wrong way, forcing homeowners off the road.”
about 0:08:58

In Vermont

Closest episodes

  1. Prove Yourself With BloodFletcher, Vermont · 19 January 202318 km / 11 miShow on map
  2. A Bloody Path To A MonsterEnosburgh, Vermont · 23 July 202027 km / 17 miShow on map
  3. Affairs & Stabbings Of The HeartEssex, Vermont · 29 August 201830 km / 19 miShow on map
  4. A Psychosexually Disturbed Pig ManRichmond, Vermont · 1 February 202446 km / 29 miShow on map
  5. Cookies Solve MurdersStowe, Vermont · 17 May 202550 km / 31 miShow on map

The story

Born on August 7, 1983, he had a long history of mental health and drug problems. He was being treated for depression and chronic anxiety, abused prescription medication including oxycodone, methadone and clonazepam, and also had pancreatitis and high blood pressure. Danielle later said in a court filing that his family had a history of suicide attempts and that he had talked about killing himself and had got prepared for it, leaving his guns out and researching ways to commit suicide online.

Danielle knew about it for about nine months, and he kept promising to end it. On September 25, 2013 he was driving to the woman's apartment to finish the relationship, arguing with Danielle on the phone as he went. He picked the woman up and drove her to a parking area behind the VFW hall on Lake Street so they could talk out of Danielle's sight. Danielle called repeatedly and threatened to come to the apartment and kick the other woman's ass. When he took the woman back, Danielle was parked nearby. The s drove to a gas station on Main Street and argued beside pump four; Danielle took off her wedding rings and threw them at him. He said he wanted to go to his father's house and drove off north on Main Street at high speed.

At the intersection of Main Street and Lower Newton Road in St. Albans City he ran a red light and nearly hit a car turning left. The driver was Anna Alger, 31, a licensed nurse's aide from St. Albans who had been born on November 13, 1981, had a daughter and was engaged to Patrick Dalley, who was in the passenger seat. Danielle saw the red light and called to tell him, but he did not answer. Shortly afterwards he pulled over around North Main Street, in front of a Domino's Pizza. Anna turned and followed him, parked behind and walked towards his car. He got out; she waved her arms, pointed at him and asked what kind of a piece of shit he thought he was. From about six feet he raised a nine-millimetre pistol and fired eleven shots, emptying the magazine. She was hit seven or eight times in the head, neck and chest and died at the scene. He put in a fresh magazine, pointed the gun at Dalley as he got out of the passenger seat, but the gun jammed. He ran up the street. Danielle chased him and saw him put the pistol to his head and pull the trigger without it firing; she took both pistols from him.

He repeatedly interrupted the detective and talked over the Miranda warning, saying he had not taken his medication, that he was sorry and that he had pulled over because he was going to kill himself. He waived his rights and described the affair, the argument and the shooting, saying he had fired because Anna kept coming towards him. At arraignment the state's attorney called it an act of extreme violence and a random act, saying the two had no relationship despite attending the same high school at the same time.

A year after the murder, in September 2014, family and friends held a candlelight vigil for Anna, sending lanterns and balloons into the sky; a memorial at the scene was moved to a friend's yard after a complaint. The prosecution stressed that he pulled the trigger eleven separate times.

The case

Murder of Anna Alger

Victims

Anna Alger (31). Licensed nurse's aide from St. Albans, born November 13, 1981, daughter of Lloyd Thompson and Rebecca Alger; she had a daughter and was engaged to Patrick Dalley.

Accused and outcomes

As told in the episode, on 17 April 2026.

Accused

Outcome

Other people

Patrick Dalley. Anna Alger's fiancé; in the passenger seat, testified about the near collision and the shooting.
Anna's daughter. Wrote a letter to the court; she was 11 at the time.
John Holt. Clinical psychologist and defence expert witness; said the only person wanted to kill that day was himself.
Dr Paul Cotton. State psychologist; said made conscious decisions throughout the afternoon and they did not end when he pulled the trigger.
Carolyn Manahan. Witness at the scene.
Lloyd Thompson. Anna Alger's father.
Rebecca Alger. Anna Alger's mother.
Gladis. Anna Alger's grandmother.
Jinny. Anna Alger's sister.

The timeline

  1. November 13, 1981 Anna Alger is born in St. Albans, the daughter of Lloyd Thompson and Rebecca Alger.about 0:28:22
  2. August 7, 1983 is born.about 0:14:07
  3. 2000 Anna Alger graduates from Missisquoi Valley Union High School, the same high school attended. (Missisquoi Valley Union High School)about 0:28:33
  4. January 2013 begins an affair with an ex-girlfriend.about 0:50:55
  5. about two and a half months before September 25, 2013 The affair with the ex-girlfriend ends, though the two keep in touch.about 0:50:55
  6. September 25, 2013 drives to his ex-girlfriend's apartment to end the relationship, arguing with his wife Danielle by phone on the way. (Ex-girlfriend's apartment)about 0:20:55
  7. September 25, 2013 He picks the woman up and drives her to a parking area behind the VFW hall on Lake Street so they can talk away from the apartment. (VFW hall on Lake Street)about 0:52:52
  8. September 25, 2013 Danielle finds them at the apartment; the s drive to a gas station on Main Street and argue beside pump four, and she takes off her wedding rings and throws them at him. (Gas station on Main Street)about 0:25:38
  9. September 25, 2013 drives off north on Main Street at high speed and runs the red light at Main Street and Lower Newton Road, nearly hitting Anna Alger's car; she brakes, avoids him and gives him the finger. (Main Street and Lower Newton Road)about 0:27:23
  10. September 25, 2013 Danielle sees him run the red light and phones to tell him, but he does not answer.about 0:30:24
  11. September 25, 2013 pulls over around North Main Street in front of Domino's Pizza; Anna Alger turns and follows, parking behind him. (Shooting scene, North Main Street)about 0:31:01
  12. September 25, 2013 Alger walks towards his car and asks what kind of a piece of shit he thinks he is; from about six feet fires eleven shots, emptying the magazine. (Shooting scene, North Main Street)about 0:32:26
  13. September 25, 2013 Alger is hit seven or eight times in the head, neck and chest and dies at the scene; eleven nine-millimetre shell casings are later found on the road. (Shooting scene, North Main Street)about 0:34:34

Places and phrases

N ↑Town 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