Lake Elise vandalism continues

#MiddleburyCT #LakeElise #Vandalism #WillKeys

Lisa and Bill Keys sit on the new granite bench installed at Lake Elise June 26, 2026. as a memorial to their son Will, a U.S. Navy Corpsman who died in an April 2011 car accident at the age of 22. Vandals recently burned the heart wreath that had been left on the bench and defaced the bench and the plaque on it. (Marjorie Needham photo)

By MARJORIE NEEDHAM

In April 2026, vandals destroyed the wooden bench overlooking Lake Elise, a bench dedicated to the late Will Keys, a U.S. Naval Corpsman who died in 2011. In June 2026, Will’s parents, Lisa and Bill, dedicated a new granite bench, leaving on it a heart-shaped wreath decorated in red, white, and blue. The first weekend in October 2026, all that remained of the wreath was a charred, heart-shaped image burned into the granite. Multiple holes pierced the brass plaque showing the bench was dedicated to Will Keys.

That wasn’t all that was destroyed. For his Eagle Scout project, Thomas Zold built an information kiosk and installed two Adirondack style benches in May 2026. Apparently at the same time the wreath was burned, one of the benches Zold installed was torn from its metal anchors, partially destroyed and then tossed into the lake, and bird houses were ripped off trees.

Also, about a week earlier, a sign explaining the fishing rules was scorched with some some sort of blow torch. A propane tank with a camp stove burner attached was found floating in the lake. It may have been used to burn the sign.

Members of the Middlebury Land Trust, owner of the property, first learned of the most recent vandalism on October 3, 2026, when a Waterbury resident sent them an email saying when he went for a walk around the lake, he noticed the wooden bench submerged in the water and, farther along the trail, he came upon the bird houses on the ground. He sent them a photo of the partially submerged bench.

Sal Sena, chair of the MLT Preserve Management Committee, with the help of Kent Sullivan-Wiley, pulled the bench out of the lake. He then reported the incident to the Middlebury Police Department.

Sena said previous vandalism at Lake Elise was relatively minor – things like people leaving litter around the lake or carving their initials into wood. Before 2026, no one destroyed items.

Sena said it was important for people to know the land trust is a 100% volunteer organization. Readers have likely seen MLT announcements for trail work volunteers to help keep the hiking trails open by removing fallen trees and branches and also work on controlling invasive plant species on MLT properties. When vandalism like this occurs, volunteers are the ones who have to deal with the damage.

Middlebury Police Chief Patrick Deely said the department had not apprehended the vandals as of October 26, 2026. Anyone with information on these incidents is encouraged to contact the police department.

Sena said the MLT is taking steps to protect their property. They also have ordered a new plaque and new fishing rules sign and are working to remove the char marks on the granite bench.

Sena posted on Facebook on behalf of the Middlebury Land Trust, thanking everyone who has offered to contribute toward the cost of replacing the destroyed wood Adirondack bench and commemorative metal plaque on the granite Keys memorial bench, or the cost of installing surveillance cameras. Noting that replacing and repairing these items costs money, he said donations can be made electronically on the MLT website at www.middleburylandtrust.org/donation/index.shtml. Checks can be mailed to Middlebury Land Trust, P.O. Box 193, Middlebury, CT 06762.