Five Dead at Oregon Property in Homicide Probe

Five Dead at Oregon Property in Homicide Probe

The News

Five people were found dead on a rural property outside Portland, Oregon, and the Washington County Sheriff's Office said Sunday it is investigating the deaths as a quintuple homicide.

Deputies were first called early Saturday to reports of a vehicle fire at a property in Forest Grove, about 30 miles west of downtown Portland. Responders then found the remains of five people and "several domestic animals."

Detectives do not believe the killings were a random act of violence, authorities said, without sharing much detail. No arrests have been made and no one is in custody.

What Police Have Not Said

Authorities did not disclose the ages or genders of the people found, how they died, or what possible connections they might have with one another. The type of animals found dead was also not specified.

At a news conference Sunday afternoon, Detective Shannon Wilde of the sheriff's office said investigators were still working to determine who the victims were.

Timeline

Early Saturday, Aug. 22:

Authorities respond to reports of a vehicle fire at a property in Forest Grove. Responders find the remains of five people and several domestic animals.

Sunday afternoon, Aug. 23:

The Washington County Sheriff's Office holds a news conference and says the deaths are being investigated as a quintuple homicide, and that detectives do not believe the violence was random.

Reactions

"Any time you have one person deceased, let alone five, that's a logistical challenge," Wilde said, pointing to the complexity of the investigation and the size of the crime scene.

Asked by reporters why roughly a day passed between the discovery of the bodies and the public briefing, Wilde said authorities were trying to identify the victims and notify their next of kin before holding a news conference, while also working what she called a "very active investigation with a lot of moving pieces." She said authorities wanted to make sure they released accurate information in a responsible way.

Sheriff Caprice Massey urged anyone familiar with the property or the people who live there to come forward with information.

"I will say that in my 22 years here, I have not been a part of or witnessed a scene quite this complex involving this type of an investigation," Massey said.

What's Next

Investigators are still working to identify the five victims and notify next of kin. The sheriff's office is asking the public for tips from anyone who knows the property or its residents. No suspect has been named and no one has been arrested.

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