BARRE, Vt. -- Vermont is considering joining the list of states that tracks and publishes the whereabouts of known sex offenders.

Nearly a year ago, Tara Stratton, a teenager from Barre, was allegedly raped and murdered by a convicted sex offender. Her family said it had no idea that the man accused of her murder had been in prison for sex crimes in the past.

Barre police Chief Trevor Whipple said he has the names, phone numbers and photographs of convicted sex offenders in his town, but by no choice of his, that information has to stay locked up.

"The information is there. That's what's frustrating," Whipple said. "The information is there, but there's a stonewall that prohibits people from getting to it."

Under current law, a person needs to have probable cause of danger to get any kind of information about convicted sexual predators. In 44 other states, you can find out all about them online. Whipple wants Vermont to join that trend.

"I support anything that makes these records more accessible," Whipple said.

Whipple keeps a picture of Tara Stratton on his desk. And he supports the efforts by the young woman's grandmother, Betsy Stratton, to get Vermont legislators to pass a version of what's come to be known as "Megan's Law." A Megan's Law allows sex offenders' names, information about them -- including addresses -- and updated photos to be published on the Web as public record.

With the help of a citizen's advocacy group, Rutland First, Betsy Stratton and her family have submitted a 2,000-signature petition to the Legislature supporting an online registry for sex offenders.

"One thing that has struck me about this whole thing is how hard that I feel I've had to fight for something I think is my right as a Vermonter and as a parent," said Wendy Wilton, of Rutland First.

But one convicted sex offender, identified only as "John," said a Megan's Law would violate his rights. He said he did his time for his crime and shouldn't be singled out.

"I'm terrified that anyone other than law enforcement has access to my identity as a sex offender," he said.

But Whipple disagrees.

"The only sure way to control a child molester is to have them have the fear of being caught again," Whipple said.