OR - 6 women found dead near Portland, most in secluded, wooded area, Feb 19 - May 8, 2023 *POI of 4*

[Betty P]

Court records show Calhoun has a lengthy criminal history stretching back to July 2003, when he was charged with two counts of assault. He was charged with assault, strangulation and harassment in December of 2007, and then kidnapping, assault and harassment in June 2008.
His record then shows more than 60 charges or citations over a period from August 2013 to April 2019 including aggravated theft, burglary, resisting arrest and assaulting a public safety officer. Link

Seems like this guy has been assaulting women for a long time. I wonder if he is responsible for any missing women before his latest 2018-2021 jail sentence? Is there any way to get all of the dates of his various incarcerations?

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

JMO, kidnapping should also be a huge red flag for violent offenders likely to repeat. Add in the assaults and it seems difficult to justify ever letting him out of jail early.

ETA: After reading his regularly scheduled release date, he still would have been a risk when released then. He had been charged with crimes that didn't qualify for a longer sentence. Was he under supervised probation? That might have helped, keeping him under the watchful eye of the criminal justice system in case he became violent again.

 

[dub]

JMO, kidnapping should also be a huge red flag for violent offenders likely to repeat. Add in the assaults and it seems difficult to justify ever letting him out of jail early.

ETA: After reading his regularly scheduled release date, he still would have been a risk when released then. He had been charged with crimes that didn't qualify for a longer sentence. Was he under supervised probation? That might have helped, keeping him under the watchful eye of the criminal justice system in case he became violent again.

You’d think he would have been supervised, but if he was using meth every day (as articles state) then possibly not?

I would hope keeping him clean post-release would have been the systems top priority, as his record vs his good behavior in prison suggests pretty strongly that he is generally capable of behaving himself when clean, but totally incapable of doing so when using.

If he wasn’t supervised, to me that would be the biggest oversight in this whole thing.

 

[Yemelyan]

JMO, kidnapping should also be a huge red flag for violent offenders likely to repeat. Add in the assaults and it seems difficult to justify ever letting him out of jail early.

ETA: After reading his regularly scheduled release date, he still would have been a risk when released then. He had been charged with crimes that didn't qualify for a longer sentence. Was he under supervised probation? That might have helped, keeping him under the watchful eye of the criminal justice system in case he became violent again.

I agree with you, IMO a history of kidnapping is part of a trio of red flags for homicide prevention. The other two are a history of strangling people (or in this case, perhaps, a dog) during altercations and a history of stalking behaviors.

Some studies have found that people who kill a member of LE are more likely to have had a history of strangling. Also, if your domestic partner has strangled you, you have a greater chance of dying at their hands (this study says you are 750% more likely to be killed within the next year by the offender). Report: Choking, strangulation victims 750% more likely to be killed by offender

 

[RememberingRyan]

You’d think he would have been supervised, but if he was using meth every day (as articles state) then possibly not?

I would hope keeping him clean post-release would have been the systems top priority, as his record vs his good behavior in prison suggests pretty strongly that he is generally capable of behaving himself when clean, but totally incapable of doing so when using.

If he wasn’t supervised, to me that would be the biggest oversight in this whole thing.

Meth is currently not a criminal offense here. We decriminalized it two years ago. So being on meth doesn’t necessarily mean he wasn’t under some degree of supervision. Regardless, it doesn’t seem like whatever supervision he had was sufficient to protect the public.

 

[agilbe]

Meth is currently not a criminal offense here. We decriminalized it two years ago. So being on meth doesn’t necessarily mean he wasn’t under some degree of supervision. Regardless, it doesn’t seem like whatever supervision he had was sufficient to protect the public

Oh wow. I had no idea.
https://www.cato.org/blog/oregons-d...on voters,LSD, methamphetamine, and oxycodone.
First paragraph
"In November 2020, Oregon voters passed Measure 110, which decriminalized the possession for personal use of small amounts of all drugs, including cocaine, heroin, LSD, methamphetamine, and oxycodone. Oregon is the only U.S. state to have implemented this policy."
Confused about how I feel about this.

 

[RememberingRyan]

Oh wow. I had no idea.
https://www.cato.org/blog/oregons-drug-decriminalization-needs-go-further#:~:text=In November 2020, Oregon voters,LSD, methamphetamine, and oxycodone.
First paragraph
"In November 2020, Oregon voters passed Measure 110, which decriminalized the possession for personal use of small amounts of all drugs, including cocaine, heroin, LSD, methamphetamine, and oxycodone. Oregon is the only U.S. state to have implemented this policy."
Confused about how I feel about this.

I was supportive in the beginning because I do not like the idea of imprisoning people just because they fall victim to addiction - but in the years since it passed we’ve seen that drug offenses used to help us get violent people and more serious criminals off the street when we were otherwise not able to arrest them for more serious crimes due to lack of evidence, which seems to be contributing to a rise in non-drug crime just because we no longer have the drug excuse to arrest them. Of course we have the confounding factor of COVID totally changing everything in how we governed the greater metro area, so it’s difficult to sort out which statistics are directly linked to decriminalization and which are COVID and which are protests. The timing of the three was hugely complex for gathering useful data.

 

[tlcya]

I was supportive in the beginning because I do not like the idea of imprisoning people just because they fall victim to addiction - but in the years since it passed we’ve seen that drug offenses used to help us get violent people and more serious criminals off the street when we were otherwise not able to arrest them for more serious crimes due to lack of evidence, which seems to be contributing to a rise in non-drug crime just because we no longer have the drug excuse to arrest them. Of course we have the confounding factor of COVID totally changing everything in how we governed the greater metro area, so it’s difficult to sort out which statistics are directly linked to decriminalization and which are COVID and which are protests. The timing of the three was hugely complex for gathering useful data.

thank you for your thoughts on this subject.

 

[arielilane]

'Person of interest' in Oregon deaths held after governor revokes commutation

Jesse Lee Calhoun, 38, is being held in state prison after the governor reinstated a prison sentence that her predecessor had commuted.

www.courttv.com

7.18.2023

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A man considered a person of interest in the deaths of four women whose bodies were found in northwestern Oregon is being held in a state prison after Gov. Tina Kotek reinstated a prison sentence that was commuted by her predecessor.

Jesse Lee Calhoun, 38, is considered a person of interest in the deaths of Kristin Smith, 22, Charity Lynn Perry, 24, Bridget Leann Webster, 31, and Ashley Real, 22, according to a law enforcement official with knowledge of the investigation. The official requested anonymity Tuesday because they are not authorized to comment publicly on the case.

 

[arielilane]

PORTLAND, Ore. — The grandfather of Bridget Ramsey Webster says learning that investigators have linked the cases of four women found dead, and named a person of interest, is helping provide closure.

“Everyone’s kind of taken a deep breath now and realizes that hopefully, it’s all over,” said Tom Frojdh.

Frojdh said he and his late wife raised Webster from when she was four years old until she graduated from high school.

Victim's grandfather finds closure as person of interest connected to deaths of 4 women

The grandfather of Bridget Ramsey Webster says learning that investigators have linked the cases of four women found dead, and named a person of interest, is he

katu.com

Mon, July 17th 2023, 8:53 PM EDT

 

[arielilane]

From our partners at Willamette Week: Jesse Lee Calhoun is in custody but has not yet been charged in any of the deaths of six women earlier this year. Calhoun is among the more than 1,000 inmates whom former Gov. Kate Brown granted clemency, allowing them to leave prison early.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1681005771688124416

Here's what we know about the four women whose deaths have been linked and a person of interest identified by the DA.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1681018728719466496

https://twitter.com/EmilyGirsch

 

[agilbe]

PORTLAND, Ore. — The grandfather of Bridget Ramsey Webster says learning that investigators have linked the cases of four women found dead, and named a person of interest, is helping provide closure.

“Everyone’s kind of taken a deep breath now and realizes that hopefully, it’s all over,” said Tom Frojdh.

Frojdh said he and his late wife raised Webster from when she was four years old until she graduated from high school.

Victim's grandfather finds closure as person of interest connected to deaths of 4 women

The grandfather of Bridget Ramsey Webster says learning that investigators have linked the cases of four women found dead, and named a person of interest, is he

katu.com

Mon, July 17th 2023, 8:53 PM EDT

Bolded I hope he's right.

 

[AislingGray18]

The connection could be drugs, and he liked killing.

IMO there is def a drug connection. This is local to me and they came out today saying the woman found in Washington where I live is not connected...but I have my doubts.
Not just because Clark County is notorious for women being murdered frequently, so it is not as big of a deal here as it is in PDX. That sounds weird since we are a small city, but we are kind of backwards

 

[wary]

'Person of interest' in Oregon deaths held after governor revokes commutation

Jesse Lee Calhoun, 38, is being held in state prison after the governor reinstated a prison sentence that her predecessor had commuted.

www.courttv.com

7.18.2023

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A man considered a person of interest in the deaths of four women whose bodies were found in northwestern Oregon is being held in a state prison after Gov. Tina Kotek reinstated a prison sentence that was commuted by her predecessor.

Jesse Lee Calhoun, 38, is considered a person of interest in the deaths of Kristin Smith, 22, Charity Lynn Perry, 24, Bridget Leann Webster, 31, and Ashley Real, 22, according to a law enforcement official with knowledge of the investigation. The official requested anonymity Tuesday because they are not authorized to comment publicly on the case.

Okay, he’s 38. He’s been arrested for various violent crimes since 2003, when he was 18. What was he doing before then? Probably amassing a substantial juvenile record, which would, of course be hidden.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Her mother, Diana Allen, said Tuesday that she learned the news about the person of interest from traditional and social media, although she is in communication with a detective on the case.

“I’m in the dark about a lot,” Allen told The Associated Press. “But the detective and I understand why this is required. We don’t need anything messing up this investigation.”

Allen said she knows Charity died in April, but she has not been given an exact date and authorities were unable to tell how she died just from looking at her. The state medical examiner has not determined the cause or manner of death for Charity or the other women, prosecutors said in a statement.

“This hurts so bad. My daughter had such bad mental health issues, and any hope of her getting better is gone. It’s gone now, and a horrid ache replaced it,” Allen said.

But she took some heart after authorities announced Monday that the four deaths were linked. They also said at the time that there was at least one person of interest. The news the following day that the person was in custody was further cause for the mothers to be optimistic about a potential break in the cases.

“I’m just really hoping that this is it. I don’t know — I guess I’m still kind of in shock by it all, but I’m just hoping that we got him,” Melissa Smith, the mother of 22-year-old Kristin Smith, was quoted as saying by KATU-TV.

Mothers hope for answers as authorities announce 'person of interest' in deaths of 4 women in Oregon

The announcement that authorities are holding a person of interest in the case of four women found dead this year in Oregon has mothers of the victims hoping they may

martinsvillebulletin.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Jesse Lee Calhoun, 38, is now housed at Snake River Correctional Institution in Ontario on a parole violation. On July 3, Gov. Tina Kotek revoked his prior commutation after Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt wrote to the governor’s office that day that Calhoun “has been involved in criminal activity currently under investigation by Oregon law enforcement.”

A woman who identifies herself on a video recording as the girlfriend of a 38-year-old “person of interest” in the deaths of four Oregon women says he had ties to at least two of them.

In the video posted on YouTube, an unnamed woman said Jesse Lee Calhoun also sold fentanyl and had sex with other women during their relationship.

Girlfriend of man linked to deaths of 4 women says he knew at least two of the victims

Investigators spent up to three days searching the ground-floor RiverView apartment where Jesse Lee Calhoun, 38, had lived with a girlfriend after his June 6 arrest. She told a YouTube blogger that he sold fentanyl and had ties to at least two of the women, Ashley Real and Bridget Walker...

www.oregonlive.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

In this undated photo provided by Diana Allen is her daughter, Charity Perry, after she won an award for spiciest chili in a competition. Perry’s body was found on April 24, 2023, near a state park alongside the Columbia River, east of Portland, Oregon. Prosecutors said Monday, July 17, 2023, that investigators have linked her case and the cases of three other women found dead and that a person of interest has been identified

Police did not use the term “serial killer” to describe how the murders were connected but said through speaking with people connected to the deaths they were able to link one person of interest to all four deaths.

A serial killer is defined as a person who kills a series of three or more people with a common characteristic, according to the FBI.

At this time, police have not identified the person of interest or filed any charges.

Local media sites have identified the alleged person at the center of the investigation, but this information is unconfirmed.

Mothers hope for answers as 'person of interest' held in Oregon deaths

Announcement that authorities are holding a person of interest in the case of four women found dead has victims' mothers hoping for answers.

www.courttv.com

 

[NeverPersonal]

I think it's so irresponsible of LE to dismiss the public's fears of a serial killer when it was incredibly obvious, at least to me, that that is what was happening. It's like every city/town in America has this bias of, "No, it can't happen here, you're crazy!"

 

[Charlot123]

IMO there is def a drug connection. This is local to me and they came out today saying the woman found in Washington where I live is not connected...but I have my doubts.
Not just because Clark County is notorious for women being murdered frequently, so it is not as big of a deal here as it is in PDX. That sounds weird since we are a small city, but we are kind of backwards

I can imagine. Vancouver, WA, seems to have bad drug issues. It is also very close to Portland, Oregon, and while it sounds across the state line, in many ways, it is incredibly similar. Also, it could be turned into a touristy place, there are lots of things to see, historically, but to me it looked like no one was interested.

 

[dub]

I think it's so irresponsible of LE to dismiss the public's fears of a serial killer when it was incredibly obvious, at least to me, that that is what was happening. It's like every city/town in America has this bias of, "No, it can't happen here, you're crazy!"

The other odd thing about this is, if I’m remembering right, it’s not like all the departments involved were in lockstep on this.

It really was just PPB that was adamant about them not being related, which seems especially weird considering only one victim (KS) was found in their jurisdiction.

Not to get too conspiratorial, but PPB had a huge problem with their cops committing sex crimes against vulnerable women back in the mid 2000s, maybe there was concern that something like that was happening again, or (more likely) just the same prevailing attitude as then that allowed that behavior to go unchecked for so long.

 

[x_files]

Okay, he’s 38. He’s been arrested for various violent crimes since 2003, when he was 18. What was he doing before then? Probably amassing a substantial juvenile record, which would, of course be hidden.

Does anyone else think juvie records should no longer be sealed?