GUILTY WA - Dole Valley, WhtFem Skeletal UP10045, 18-25, Oct'74 - Martha Morrison *arrest*

[carbuff]

For a long time I thought she was probably Walker County JD.

 

[FiveFelines]

Talk about the kindness of strangers! Glad she has her name back.

 

[Roselvr]

For a long time I thought she was probably Walker County JD.

was shocked she was not orange socks

 

[carbuff]

was shocked she was not orange socks

Yes, I think I meant Orange Socks. Walker County is the girl in the yellow sweater. So hard to keep all the missing girls straight sometimes, it just makes me want to cry...

 

[wendybtn]

Online articles about the other remains, identified as Carol Valenzuela, appear to indicate she is a suspected Bundy victim. Is Martha also now a suspected Bundy victim? I seem to recall he once claimed to have picked up and murdered an unknown hitchhiker on Labor Day weekend but I don't recall which year. September 1, 1974 would have fallen on a Sunday, the day before Labor Day. Martha could be the one Bundy spoke of.

Bundy was very active in 1974. That possibility is certainly on the table. I know that some of his victims remains were found in very close proximity to each other.
Wonder where the man she was living with at the time is today? But it would be a huge coincidence if he killed one time and happened to leave the body near a Bundy victim, wouldn't it??

 

[Sutton]

Online articles about the other remains, identified as Carol Valenzuela, appear to indicate she is a suspected Bundy victim. Is Martha also now a suspected Bundy victim? I seem to recall he once claimed to have picked up and murdered an unknown hitchhiker on Labor Day weekend but I don't recall which year. September 1, 1974 would have fallen on a Sunday, the day before Labor Day. Martha could be the one Bundy spoke of.

1974, according to The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History (McFarland & Company, Inc., 2009). Kevin M. Sullivan writes,

"...Bundy moved from Washington State to Utah to attend law school sometime in early September 1974. Bundy's girlfriend of six years, Liz Kendall, believed he left on September 3, when in fact, according to his gasoline purchase receipts, he departed Seattle on September 2, which was Labor Day that year. Now, at first glance, this quest for his exact day of departure appears to be little more than trivia and totally insignificant; insignificant, that is, until you learn that he later admitted killing an unknown hitchhiker while he traveled through Idaho on September 2 that year! Not only did he admit this, but he called Kendall from a town about 22 miles west of Boise, and it was on the outskirts of Boise (less than 30 minutes after this phone call) where he picked up the doomed girl he would kill later that evening."

 

[LadyL]

Nikki Costa sure is determined! What a great lady.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

http://koin.com/2015/07/23/the-44-year-search-for-jamie-grissim-continues/

This article is about Jamie Grissim and her connection to Martha and Carol. That connection is the same suspected perpetrator of their murders.

In the video, the reporter says this:

Clark County detectives have long believed suspected serial killer Warren Forrest was responsible for the deaths of Jamie, Carol Valenzuela and those mystery remains (Martha). In all, Forrest is suspected of killing eight women in Clark County but Forrest has only been convicted of one murder.

The one murder he was convicted of was Krista Kay Blake.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Clark Co. detectives seek answers in decades-old cold case killing of teen

http://www.kptv.com/story/31442287/clark-co-detectives-seek-answers-in-decades-old-cold-case-killing-of-teen

Detectives are hoping to learn the name of a man who is believed to be one of the last people to see a 17-year-old girl alive in 1974.

The Clark County Sheriff's Office Cold Case Unit is once again asking for the public's help to bring Martha Marie Morrison's killer to justice.

They believe her boyfriend at the time of her death may be able to help.

Detectives said the man is not a suspect in the case. However, investigators want to talk to him to possibly piece together the last days and hours of Morrison's life.

 

[Betty P]

This 2014 news story contains an interview with one of Warren Forrest ' s victims. Forrest, who was married with 2 children at the time, had to leave Norma Countryman tied to a tree while he returned home. She managed to free herself and escape.

http://www.columbian.com/news/2014/apr/17/survivor-recalls-night-of-terror/

Forrest seems to be the primary suspect in Martha's murder as she was found in the same area where he had dumped the bodies of two other victims. Forrest worked for the Clark Co. Parks Dept. And had keys to all the gates to restricted areas in the county parks. Though sentenced to life in prison, he is still up for parole periodically.

I hope LE is able to locate Martha's old boyfriend. He may have information that could link her to Forrest and allow them to charge him with her murder.

 

[Roselvr]

Thankful he was not paroled in 2014 and I hope he does not get paroled next year either. The system really failed these girls; and continues to fail them until he returns their remains to their families. He says he's not the same person he was back then, sorry I don't believe it. I also feel he's not returning Jamie because there are more remains where she is. I wish her sister would arrange a search with cadaver dogs.

The 44-year search for Jamie Grissim continues - Jamie Grissim was 16 when she was last seen in December 1971
Dan Tilkin Published: July 23, 2015, 8:00 pm Updated: July 24, 2015, 12:24 pm

In an audio recording of his parole hearing in February, Forrest recalled details of crimes he’s been convicted of and reiterated he’s a different person than the person he was 40 years ago.

Forrest had already spent 4 years at the Western State Hospital after being acquitted in 1975 “on grounds of insanity” in the abduction of a 20-yer-old on October 1, 1974 from Washington Park in Portland. He took her to Lacamas Lake in Clark County and brutally assaulted her.

The case of killer Warren Forrest - Warren Forrest retains his silence over the cases - Dan Tilkin and KOIN 6 News Staff Published: July 23, 2015, 7:59 pm Updated: July 24, 2015, 5:50 pm

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — He’s suspected in the disappearance of at least 8 women though he’s only been convicted of one. Even after more than 30 years in prison, Warren Forrest retains his silence over the cases.

He’s suspected in the deaths of Jamie Grissim, Barbara Derry, Carol Valenzuela, Martha Morrison and the assault of a number of different women
He was denied parole in 2014, and will have another hearing in 2017

 

[Betty P]

Thanks for these links, Roselvr. I began reading about these cases the other night, kept me awake, haha.

The police have done a great job over the years, once they figured out the connections. It seems any time he was set to be released or up for parole, they renewed their investigation and found more victims. The news media today seems to be doing a much better job of covering the story. Being the same age as many of the victims, I recall how every teen disappearance back then was written off as a runaway case. Sad. Hitching was also still common back then and considered "safe". It seems there were a number of serial killer's preying on young women back in the 70s in Wisconsin, Michigan and elsewhere.

I do hope they find Jamie Grissim and bring some peace to her family. Hopefully, this new information about Martha will help keep him behind bars.

 

[Roselvr]

Thanks for these links, Roselvr. I began reading about these cases the other night, kept me awake, haha.

The police have done a great job over the years, once they figured out the connections. It seems any time he was set to be released or up for parole, they renewed their investigation and found more victims. The news media today seems to be doing a much better job of covering the story. Being the same age as many of the victims, I recall how every teen disappearance back then was written off as a runaway case. Sad. Hitching was also still common back then and considered "safe". It seems there were a number of serial killer's preying on young women back in the 70s in Wisconsin, Michigan and elsewhere.

I do hope they find Jamie Grissim and bring some peace to her family. Hopefully, this new information about Martha will help keep him behind bars.

Good point about Martha. I replied in Jamie's thread too; her sister is a member.

 

[0101ABA]

The sheriff’s office is working in conjunction with the Portland Police Bureau’s North Precinct to distribute information about Morrison and her boyfriend throughout the North Portland area.

Investigators don’t know what part of Portland Morrison lived in at the time of her disappearance, but have speculated they lived near the Swan Island area due to her partner’s job.

Hunter told The Skannerinvestigators are looking at other cases similar to Morrison’s to see if there may be connections between the crimes.

(...)

Hunter said investigators are hoping a landlord, neighbor, coworker or someone else who may remember Morrison or her boyfriend will be able to come forward with a little more information about the case.

http://www.theskanner.com/news/northwest/24787-clark-county-officials-seek-information-on-cold-case

 

[Deleted member 185742]

how did she die

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

New evidence could link convicted killer to cold case murder

http://katu.com/news/local/new-evidence-could-link-convicted-killer-to-cold-case-murder

The Washington State Patrol crime lab released new DNA test results from blood found on evidence in the Blake murder case. Officials said it belonged to a second victim, Martha Morrison.

Investigators say this is their first solid evidence that the man (Warren Forrest) convicted in that first murder is actually a serial killer.

Investigators posted flyers featuring Martha Morrison in North Portland. They are still trying to find whoever was her boyfriend at the time, and their only lead is that he worked at the Swan Island shipyards.

He's not a suspect, but they believe he may have information about when Morrison was last seen alive. Investigators said it might tighten the new murder case against Forrest.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

http://www.columbian.com/news/2017/aug/24/new-dna-evidence-links-warren-forrest-to-2-killings/

On Oct. 1, 1974, a 20-year-old Camas woman got into a van driven by Forrest, where she was threatened with a knife and bound with tape.

Forrest drove her to Lacamas Lake Park, where he raped her, shot her with an air pistol, choked her and stabbed her five times in the chest. The woman survived the attack and made her way to a public road for help.

<snipped>

When he and the other investigators sat down to asses the cases, Hunter remembered the bloodied air pistol Forrest used in the rape and assault case.

“Everyone assumed the blood stain on the air pistol belonged to the original victim,” Hoss said. “One of the cold case detectives, instead of assuming, actually verified.”

Since then, the crime lab has connected the puzzle pieces and identified the blood found on Forrest’s gun as belonging to Morrison.

The breakthrough has implications for not one, but two unsolved homicides.

Hoss said that since Morrison’s body was found in such close proximity to that of Carol Valenzuela, investigators can tie Forrest to her death too.

 

[Betty P]

http://www.columbian.com/news/2017/aug/24/new-dna-evidence-links-warren-forrest-to-2-killings/

Amazing work by Clark Co Sheriff's Dept. They assembled a team of volunteers to do cold case work. The prosecutor who first convicted Forrest was the one who thought of testing the blood on Forrest's gun. Amazing they kept it and were able to re-test. Wow. They deserve so much praise for this work, including the woman who identified Morrison's DNA.

ETA: Her sister must be really pleased, hopefully she feels some peace. Sorry their mom didn't live long enough to find out what happened to Martha.

Link to another news story with interview of Jamie Grissom's sister. There's hope for solving her case, too. Hopefully Forrest will tell authorities where she is buried.

http://koin.com/2017/08/23/bombshell-dna-links-warren-forrest-to-another-murder/

 

[Mysteries1974]

Warren Forrest is now suspected of killing Diane Gilchrist who vanished on May 29th 1974. He could also be involved in the disappearances of Andria Ann Bailey from spanaway, WA and Laurie partridge from Spokane, WA.

 

[Mysteries1974]

Martha Marie Morrison




Above Images: Martha, circa 1974


Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance

• Missing Since: September 1, 1974 from Eugene, Oregon

• Classification: Endangered Missing

• Age: 17 years old

• Height and Weight: 5'4, 140 pounds

• Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian female. Brown hair, hazel eyes.

Details of Disappearance

Martha was last seen in Eugene, Oregon on September 1, 1974. She had moved to Portland, Oregon with a male companion and was visiting family in Eugene at the time of her disappearance. She had a disagreement with the male she was staying with and has never been heard from again.
Martha has one brother and one sister. Her mother died in 2005. In her obituary, Martha was listed as a missing person. Few details are available in her case.


Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Eugene Police Department
541-682-5111


Source Information
NamUs
Websleuths


Updated 1 time since October 12, 2004.

Last updated April 23, 2014; casefile added.

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