GUILTY OR - Mark Dribin, 42, Portland, 02 July 1999 *Christopher Charles Lovrien sentenced*

[LinasK]

No doubt - I was surprised to see the trial date on the court site already!!

I read an article just now that said June?

 

[LinasK]

Good to see you back here @LinasK !!

Justice for Mark!!!!

Thank you!! Such a pleasant shock this evening, I'm shaking as I type. Found out that his father is alive to see justice.

 

[Niner]

@LinasK - there is a Case management hearing tomorrow 5/22, at least it is still listed on the court site.

 

[LinasK]

@LinasK - there is a Case management hearing tomorrow 5/22, at least it is still listed on the court site.

Oh thank you! I'm just getting back up to speed on the case. I've asked people I know in Oregon to keep me updated, since I can't get back there in June. Ironically if not for Covid, we would have been up there now.

 

[LinasK]

Chris Lovrien looks defeated in his mugshot. I wonder if he was a POI after Mark disappeared?

If he was, they never divulged it. I just looked at his rap sheet though- he was a bad dude. He's got felonies that go back to 1987 for burglary, stolen vehicles, dui's, and drugs.

 

[LinasK]

I just read about this case for the first time because it was posted on Nextdoor that there is police activity at the home of the person in custody, possibly they are digging up the backyard. I hope they find Mark and his family gets some closure.

Welcome, yes his neighbor confirmed that for me last night. Please let me know if you discover anything more on your local Nextdoor. His father does want to bring him home and give him a proper burial.

 

[dotr]

Portland police investigate the home of recently arrested suspect in a decades-old murder
May 21 2020
''PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) -- FOX 12 is working to get more information about a police investigation at a Southeast Portland home Wednesday.

Police aren’t sharing any details, but a public records search of the address shows the house belongs to a man who was arrested two weeks ago and is the suspect in a murder from two decades ago.''

"The burden of this, the memory of this, the scarring or I don’t know what you would call it, has been with me for twenty years and I was very much interested in having something resolved in the matter whether find the suspect or find his body or something," Ron Shirrell said.''

''Several neighbors tell us police were there Tuesday with shovels and flood lights.

"I want them to find the right person who did this and I want closure to it, I want to know if Mark has been there for twenty years in a secret grave," Shirrell said. "I'd like to know if the fellow who lived here is responsible for his death and I'd like to see him receive his punishment as a result if he’s guilty."

 

[LinasK]

Portland police investigate the home of recently arrested suspect in a decades-old murder
May 21 2020
''PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) -- FOX 12 is working to get more information about a police investigation at a Southeast Portland home Wednesday.

Police aren’t sharing any details, but a public records search of the address shows the house belongs to a man who was arrested two weeks ago and is the suspect in a murder from two decades ago.''

"The burden of this, the memory of this, the scarring or I don’t know what you would call it, has been with me for twenty years and I was very much interested in having something resolved in the matter whether find the suspect or find his body or something," Ron Shirrell said.''

''Several neighbors tell us police were there Tuesday with shovels and flood lights.

"I want them to find the right person who did this and I want closure to it, I want to know if Mark has been there for twenty years in a secret grave," Shirrell said. "I'd like to know if the fellow who lived here is responsible for his death and I'd like to see him receive his punishment as a result if he’s guilty."

Thank you. I also found this article online. I'm wondering if we can find out or will know the results of the Case Management hearing today? It wasn't updated on the court website. Was supposed to happen at 11am today.

 

[LinasK]

If he was, they never divulged it. I just looked at his rap sheet though- he was a bad dude. He's got felonies that go back to 1987 for burglary, stolen vehicles, dui's, and drugs.

It appears from what I can gather that Lovrien may have left DNA at the crime scene, and the way they got him was matching his DNA to a family member's DNA in a database.

 

[dotr]

It appears from what I can gather that Lovrien may have left DNA at the crime scene, and the way they got him was matching his DNA to a family member's DNA in a database.

Police make arrest in 1999 killing using DNA, genealogy site
''PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Police say they’ve solved the 21-year-old killing of a Portland resident by matching crime scene DNA evidence to data in a public genealogy site, leading to a murder indictment against Christopher Lovrien.''

''In March 2019, the Police Bureau’s cold case unit reopened the case and submitted DNA evidence from Dribin’s case to a private lab for forensic genetic genealogy analysis.

The private lab compared the evidence to DNA in publicly available databases, including profiles from those who share their information from consumer DNA testing companies to search for relatives who have submitted their DNA.''

 

[Niner]

Friday, May 22nd:
*Case Management Hearing (@ 11am PT) - OR – Mark Jeffrey Dribin (42) (last seen July 3, 1999, Portland, reported missing July 6, 1999; has not been found) - *Christopher Charles Lovrien (32 @ time of crime/52) indicted (4/30/20), arrested (5/4/20 by U.S. Marshalls), charged (5/4/20) & arraigned (5/5/20) with 2nd degree murder.
Forensic Genetic Genealogy match
Mark's father was notified by phone by Mark's employer-United Airlines on July 5th that Mark didn't show up for work. Dribin's SUV was also missing from the garage. It was found two weeks later near Southeast 43rd Avenue & Division Street, an area investigators said Dribin didn't frequent. Portland PD determined that Mark died from homicidal violence & his vehicle was stolen from his residence. The vehicle was recovered several days later although Mark's body has not been located. His neighbors last saw him on 7/2/99 at 2:00pm according to the Doe Network, but according to this article, he was last seen on 7/3/99 at the Eagle Tavern on S.W. 13th Ave. & Burnside St. Also in his apartment, there was a massive cleanup of blood spatter all over the walls.
Trial set to begin on 6/15/20.
5/5/20 Update: Arraignment hearing. Motion - Recognizance Release. Appointed attorney-D. Smith. Next Case Management hearing on 5/22, defendant need not be transported. Trial on 6/15/20.

 

[LinasK]

Just searched the Court records again. It looks like the Case Management hearing was held and it appears that the outcome was to postpone the trial date of June 15. Cancel reason was: Other, and there is now a Case Management date set for July 13 @9am.

 

[LinasK]

My curiosity has been bugging me, so I just went back to take a closer look. Somehow this guy has managed to get his previous felonies dismissed. But there was a comment I missed, or has since been added about yesterday's hearing that the court received his 60 day waiver.

 

[Niner]

I know LinasK already mentioned the dates - here's the stuff from the court site.

05/22/2020 Hearing - Case Management
Judicial Officer(s): Ramras, Christopher, Ramras, Christopher
Hearing Time: 11:00 AM
Result: Held
Comment: Defendant not to be transported.
Parties Present:
Plaintiff: State of Oregon
Deputy District Attorney: SEWELL, TRAVIS TAYLOR
Defendant: Lovrien, Christopher Charles
Court Appointed: SMITH, DEAN

05/22/2020 Order
Judicial Officer: Ramras, Christopher
Comment: court received def's 60D waiver

06/15/2020 Trial - Twelve Person Jury
Judicial Officer(s): Ramras, Christopher, Ramras, Christopher
Hearing Time: 09:00 AM
Cancel Reason: Other

07/13/2020 Hearing - Case Management
Judicial Officer(s): Ramras, Christopher, Ramras, Christopher
Hearing Time: 09:00 AM


link: OREGON JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT - Online Records Search

 

[LinasK]

There is no good way to ask this LinusK, and I apologize if it hurts you at all-How was the blood spatter determined to be his?

Old question that I now have the answer to: DNA was obtained from both of Mark's parents.

 

[LinasK]

Oh no, that is so disturbing.

I'm just now reading his thread...do any of the family members know anything about the "relationship gone bad" or do they know any of his close friends who might know?

I'm still looking for the link of the video (of the bar patrons) that you mentioned.

I'm so sorry, LinasK. :hug: I hope he's found soon.

ETA: I found the bar links. I'm not criticizing anyone's lifestyle choices, but both the old and new bars seem like they might attract some questionable people (a small minority...someone who would cause harm to someone, and is looking for people who might be partying too hearty and thus be more vulnerable).

His dad doesn't know and wasn't aware of the sighting at the bar. We don't know if it was a valid sighting, but either way- Mark was killed at his house.

 

[LinasK]

Was there any sort of evidence of the crime found in Mark's truck? I know the report states that his truck was found in an area he did not frequent. The assumption, then, is that the truck was driven to the location by the attacker. I feel that the location of the truck has to be in correlation to where the attacker lived (if he drove the truck to the location, how did he get home unless he lived near there OR caught a cab or had someone working with him) or where the body was dumped. Any insight into the area the truck was found? It seems that could be a huge clue....

The place the car was dumped was about 5 miles from the perps home, so he could have walked or gotten a ride.

 

[LinasK]

Thank you Roselvr! I thought I had been careful, but I somehow did totally miss your post.

For whatever reason, this case is sticking with me. I've begun looking through some of the unidentified on NamUs. Needless to say, it's a bit unsettling.

LinasK, it's a bit of a longshot, but would you happen to know if Mark was balding or if he just happened to shave his head? Do the men in your family lose their hair? I ask because there have been a few UIDs I've come across with full heads of hair. I'm leaning toward that being a disqualifier for them being Mark, but figured I'd ask just in case.

Also wondering if Mark/your family is religious, i.e. would it have been unusual for him to be wearing a cross?

I just got the answer to this question last night. Mark was going prematurely bald, then started shaving his head. I remember him with hair. His dad said that he had brown hair. And no, Mark wouldn't have worn a cross, he was Jewish.

 

[LinasK]

I forgot to ask Mark's dad if he knew what items were missing, but Lovrien did have some charges for burglary, so I suppose robbery could still be on the table as motive? Oh, and someone asked much earlier upthread- the bar was located in Downtown Portland, not in a residential district. Mark lived in a house.

 

[Suglo]

I know LinasK already mentioned the dates - here's the stuff from the court site.

05/22/2020 Hearing - Case Management
Judicial Officer(s): Ramras, Christopher, Ramras, Christopher
Hearing Time: 11:00 AM
Result: Held
Comment: Defendant not to be transported.
Parties Present:
Plaintiff: State of Oregon
Deputy District Attorney: SEWELL, TRAVIS TAYLOR
Defendant: Lovrien, Christopher Charles
Court Appointed: SMITH, DEAN

05/22/2020 Order
Judicial Officer: Ramras, Christopher
Comment: court received def's 60D waiver

06/15/2020 Trial - Twelve Person Jury
Judicial Officer(s): Ramras, Christopher, Ramras, Christopher
Hearing Time: 09:00 AM
Cancel Reason: Other

07/13/2020 Hearing - Case Management
Judicial Officer(s): Ramras, Christopher, Ramras, Christopher
Hearing Time: 09:00 AM


link: OREGON JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT - Online Records Search

No big surprise that the jury trial on 6/15 was cancelled. They don’t even set DUI trials that quickly. This defendant has a right to a fair and impartial trial which would be impossible 60 days after being charged. His attorneys will need at least six months to go through the discovery and prepare for trial. I have no doubt he will spend the rest of his life in prison but it needs to be done correctly the first time around so he doesn’t get verdicts overturned and new trials for the next 10-15 years. The victim and his family will get their day in court soon.