Portland man accused of killing women and dumping their bodies charged with fifth murder
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- Jesse Calhoun was arraigned on a fifth second-degree murder charge related to the death of Ashley Real, joining four previous murder charges and four counts of abuse of a corpse.
- The victims, all women aged 22 to 32, were found in a roughly 100-mile radius around Portland and southwestern Washington, raising concerns about a possible serial killer.
- Calhoun remains in custody at the Multnomah County Detention Center; his defense entered a not-guilty plea, and a trial date has not been set.
- Family members of the victims, including Ashley Real’s father and sister, expressed grief and relief that Calhoun is behind bars, while also highlighting past reports of abuse involving Calhoun.
- Calhoun was previously imprisoned for assault and other charges, released early in 2021 due to participation in a firefighting program, but had his commutation revoked in 2023 amid the murder investigations.