WOLCOTT – A couple found dead in a tent last month in Wolcott both died due to accidental drug overdoses, according to death certificates released recently by the Vermont Department of Health.
Tammy Menard, 53, died due to a fentanyl overdose and Lucas Menard, 48, died from a mix of cocaine and fentanyl, their death certificates indicate. The findings were first reported by WCAX.
photo by Glenn Russell, VTDigger
The married couple faced housing insecurity for years and had serious health issues. They were forced to leave their motel room in September when their 80-day housing voucher ended, according to housing advocates.
The Menards had been camping on family land in Wolcott since then. They were found dead in a tent there the evening before Thanksgiving, according to the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department.
People who knew them said the two often advocated for unhoused people, despite their own housing issues and health problems. Their deaths drew statewide attention to the plight of unhoused people as winter set in.
