Arrest Made in Murder of NBC Anchor Heidi Voight’s Mom

A suspect has been arrested in connection to the murder of a prominent Connecticut news anchor’s mother. Shawn Conlon, 44, was arrested at a hotel in Groton, Connecticut Wednesday by marshals, local police, and Rhode Island State Police, the Vermont State Police announced. Conlon was wanted in connection to the February murder of Claudia Voight, 73, the mother of NBC Connecticut Today news anchor Heidi Voight.

The arrest comes 10 months after Voight died in her Windham, Vermont home on Feb. 20. Although her death was initially believed to be “the result of an apparent medical event and did not appear suspicious,” police said that an autopsy days later “indicated the death was suspicious.” Final autopsy findings in April “confirmed that Ms. Voight’s cause of death was neck compression, and the manner of death was homicide.” Although the motive for the killing has not been disclosed, Vermont State Police said in July they believe it “was not random.”

“There is something I’ve been wanting to tell you, but up until now, couldn’t. I have been carrying this painful secret: My mother’s death was not natural, nor peaceful. My mother was murdered, violently, in the place she should have felt safest – her own home. Claudia Voight was stolen from this world. She was stolen from her family, from her children, and from my precious daughters who now ask me almost every day, ‘Why did Grandma go to Heaven?’” Voight shared on social media in July. “For the last 161 days, the world around us has moved on. But my family and I have been living February 21st on repeat.”

Earlier this week, Vermont State Police obtained a warrant for Conlon’s arrest on a charge of second-degree murder. According to the Wednesday release, “VSP’s investigation determined that Conlon had been renting a room in Ms. Voight’s home, though he stopped paying rent in late 2022 but remained in the house, until he attacked and killed her in February.” Conlon was initially believed to be in Rhode Island, though he was to Connecticut.

Police said that Conlon was charged in Connecticut as being a fugitive from justice, and during his first court appearance, he was ordered held for lack of $1 million bail on the fugitive charge. He waived extradition and will be transferred back to Vermont. The Vermont arrest warrant for second-degree murder orders Conlon jailed without bail, per authorities.

Following the arrest, Voight, an award-winning reporter and morning anchor who also represented the state at the Miss America Pageant in 2006, wrote on Facebook, “HALLELUJAH.” She has not offered further comment at this time.