Man named person of interest in ex-girlfriend’s death is shot dead by police on same day her body was found

Police shot Matthew Davis dead mere hours after saying they wanted to speak to him in connection with the suspicious death of Mary Anderson

Mary Anderson of Harvard, Massachusetts, was found dead in her pick up truck in Vermont on Tuesday (City of Harvard Police)

The ex-boyfriend of a missing Massachusetts woman who was found dead in Vermont was shot and killed by police on the day he was named a “person of interest” over her suspicious death.

The body of 23-year-old Harvard woman Mary Anderson was found in her blue pickup truck in Brattleboro at around 1am on Tuesday morning, Vermont State Police said.

Ms Anderson was last seen at around in Hudson, New Hampshire, at around 10.30pm on Saturday and was reported missing by her family on Sunday afternoon.

After her body was found, police said they wanted to speak to her former boyfriend Matthew Davis, 34, in connection with her death.

At about 7.45pm on Tuesday night, a state police detective canvassing a neighbourhood in West Battleboro spotted Mr Davis walking on Western Avenue, according to a press release.

Officers from the state police and Brattleboro Police Department responded and said they found Mr Davis armed with a knife.

“During an attempt to speak” with Mr Davis, he was shot by two troopers and a Brattleboro police officer, state police said.

Police and emergency responders attempted to provide first aid, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. They said they found a knife near the body. No other injuries were reported.

Matthew Davis, 34, was shot dead by police said they wanted to speak to him in connection with the suspicious death of ex-girlfriend Mary Anderson (Twitter)

Detectives from the Massachusetts State Police were nearby at the time of the shooting.

State police said Ms Anderson’s body will be taken to the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington for an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

The identities of the officers who shot and killed Mr Davis are due to be released 24 hours after the shooting in accordance with protocols.

The state troopers involved will be placed on five days administrative leave.

Ms Anderson’s mother Sheila Anderson told WCVB the former couple had dated for three years until they broke up suddenly in November.

“That’s the sad part for me as a mom, to know that whatever she experienced these last four days — just heart-wrenching, she was alone,” Sheila Anderson said.