STATE OF VERMONT
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
VERMONT STATE POLICE
PRESS RELEASE
INCIDENT: Recovery Of Stolen Relic
CASE #: 10D302936
TROOPER: Tpr. Steven Cuttita
STATION: Royalton Barracks
DATE/TIME: 08-09-2010/1931 Hours
LOCATION: Royalton State Police Barracks
VIOLATION: Possession of Stolen Property
ACCUSED: Earl Frost, age 34
Transient
VICTIM: Cathedral Of The Holy Cross/Archdiocese Of Boston
1400 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02118
SUMMARY OF INCIDENT:
On August 9, 2010 Vermont State Police in Royalton received a call for a family disturbance at Upper Eatons Trailer Park in Royalton, VT. Troopers spoke with the homeowner, Richard Duncan. Duncan advised Troopers he was having a verbal altercation with his partner Earl Frost. Duncan advised he had information that he felt the State Police should know about but the information should come from Frost. Frost was put on the telephone and advised Troopers that the altercation was over a religious artifact that was stolen from a church in Boston. Frost also advised he had the item and wanted to return it to a church, not the police. Troopers convinced Frost and Duncan to bring the item to the Royalton Barracks.
While Frost and Duncan were en route, Troopers did a Google search on the internet and found several articles relating to this item. Troopers contacted the Boston Police Department and confirmed that a Relic was stolen from the Cathedral Of The Holy Cross in Boston on June, 30, 2010; however they have received several false reports from individuals stating they had the Relic. It was uncertain whether the Relic Frost was in possession of, was in fact the Relic that was stolen from the Cathedral Of The Holy Cross in Boston.
When Frost arrived at the Barracks, he turned over a Relic and advised he had been in contact with Father Kevin O’ Leary from the Cathedral Of The Holy Cross about returning it, but claimed he did not steal it. Frost claimed he acquired the Relic through an unidentified third party while in Rhode Island. Frost also disclosed to Troopers that while he was talking with Father O’Leary he identified himself as “Bill”. Father O’Leary later confirmed these conversations and the name “Bill” Frost had originally given him.
When the Troopers took possession of the Relic from Frost, they were unable to confirm its authenticity. Due to this and the several false reports that the Boston Police Department have been receiving pertaining to who in fact had possession of the actual Relic, the Troopers did not have enough evidence at the time to hold Frost on possession of stolen property charges.
On 08-15-2010 a Church Official from the Cathedral Of The Holy Cross in Boston drove to the Royalton Barracks and confirmed the Relic’s authenticity and took possession of it. Once the Church Official confirmed the Relic’s authenticity, the Vermont State Police had enough information to arrest Frost for Possession of Stolen Property. When Troopers went to locate Frost, it was learned that he had since fled the area and his whereabouts is unknown at this time. The State Police are currently seeking an arrest warrant for the charge of Possession of Stolen Property against Frost.
The Relic that was given to the State Police is a small piece of wood that Roman Catholics believe is a piece of the cross which Jesus was crucified on. The Relic was inside a small brass case approximately two inches in diameter. On the back of the case is a wax seal stamped with the Pope’s ring. Church Officials advised Troopers after the Pope’s death the ring is destroyed making the Relic “priceless”. Troopers asked church officials to give the Relic a dollar value for legal purposes. Church Officials advised somewhere between $2,300.00 and $3,800.00 but again told Troopers the item is “priceless” to the Church. Photographs of the Relic are attached.
COURT ACTION: Arrest Warrant Pending COURT: Windsor County District Court
Sgt. Tara Thomas
Public Information Officer
Vermont State Police - Headquarters
103 South Main Street
Waterbury, VT 05671-2101
Office: 802-241-5277
Cell: 802-999-7687
Fax: 802-241-5551
