Self-defense cited in Vt. slayings

4 deaths stemmed from accidental shot, suspect says

By Diana Raschke, Globe Correspondent, and Brian MacQuarrie Globe Staff, 7/17/2001

HYDE PARK, Vt. - The man accused of slaying four people in a mobile home near here told police he accidentally shot one victim, then gunned down the other three in a frantic act of self-defense.

Douglas E. Provost, 34, of Fairfax, pleaded not guilty yesterday to the four killings in Belvidere on Friday night. But in an unusual move, Provost's court-appointed attorney questioned the strength of his assertion of self-defense.

Provost, shackled and wearing a bulletproof vest, was arraigned in the Lamoille County Courthouse in the deaths of Mitchell Bishop Jr., 46; his daughter, Jessica Bishop, 18; her boyfriend, George Weatherwax, 19; and a family friend, Derrick Davis, 23.

Provost was ordered held without bail in the state's deadliest shooting in 50 years. ''I think the evidence is very strong that he committed a premeditated murder upon four people,'' said prosecutor Joel Page, the Lamoille state's attorney.

In an affidavit released yesterday, Provost told police that the killings followed an argument with Mitchell Bishop over the price of a .22-caliber semiautomatic pistol that Provost wanted to sell. Provost said he asked for $20 and one-eighth of an ounce of marijuana, but that Bishop offered only $10 and the marijuana.

During the haggling, the gun was passed around the mobile home, and examined by Bishop's wife, Melissa, Davis, and a woman who left before the shooting, according to the affidavit.

Provost told police that when Bishop handed the gun back to him, the clip was protruding. Provost said he pushed the clip back in, accidentally hit the trigger, and shot Davis from about 5 feet away.

Provost said Mitchell Bishop then jumped up with his own .22 pistol, and that Provost fired because he thought Bishop was about to shoot.

The defendant told police he headed toward the door ''to get the hell out of the place.'' When he looked back, Provost said, he saw the silhouettes of two people. ''I thought it was them two coming back after me,'' Provost said of Jessica Bishop and Weatherwax, each of whom he shot once.

Contrary to Provost's account, police said two of the victims appeared to be trying to leave the trailer when they were shot. In addition, Provost's lawyer, Marc Eagle, said the affidavit does not appear to support ''any strong claim of self-defense.''

The prosecutor said the motive is unclear. ''Maybe he was angry that the guy didn't buy his gun or sell him drugs,'' Page said. ''Anger and frustration would appear to be the two most possible motives here.''

Family and friends of the victims, who discussed the case on the courthouse lawn, were tearful and angry. ''It just makes the rest of us fear for our own lives,'' said Bambi Hoadley, Mitchell Bishop's niece and Jessica Bishop's cousin. ''Everyone in the family just keeps getting murdered.''

Mitchell Bishop Jr.'s father was found slain on the same road in 1980, stabbed to death after a drunken fight.

''I deal with death and dying every day,'' said Hoadley, who works at a senior care facility. ''It's just different when it's a family member.''

Court records show that Provost, who had been a sheetrock subcontractor, had been convicted of lewd and lascivious conduct in 1993, trespassing in 1990, and misdemeanor assault in 1990.

After the shooting, Provost was stopped by a state trooper who had been alerted by Melissa Bishop about the shooting. Provost was allowed to proceed after no weapons were found in the car.

Melissa Bishop later identified Provost as the shooter after watching video from the State Police cruiser's onboard camera. Provost was arrested at his home.

Melissa Bishop's mother, Olive McLean, said she wished Vermont had the death penalty. ''If one of my kids [had] done that to somebody, I'd want to see them go down,'' McLean said.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.

This story ran on page B3 of the Boston Globe on 7/17/2001.

© Copyright 2001 Globe Newspaper Company.

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