In the early months of 2023, six women turned up dead in and around Portland, Oregon, sparking rumors of a serial killer. Though police originally claimed they did not believe that the cases were connected, similarities emerged between four of the women, and one man linked them all. To the dismay of the public, not only did this suspect have multiple other crimes under his belt, but he had been granted early release from prison for fighting forest fires on the west coast. These are the stories of Kristin Smith, Charity Perry, Bridget Webster, Joanna Speaks, Ashley Real, and an unidentified Native woman. It’s also the story of Jesse Lee Calhoun.
Sources:
1. Oregon Live: https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2023/07/girlfriend-of-man-linked-to-deaths-of-4-women-says-he-knew-at-least-two-of-the-victims.html
2. Interview with Krista: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-WrdbtKNAs
3. Williamette Week: https://www.wweek.com/news/courts/2023/10/06/in-latest-sign-of-impending-charges-state-assigns-suspected-serial-killer-an-attorney/
4. KGW: https://www.kgw.com/article/news/investigations/timeline-for-connected-deaths-of-four-women-around-portland/283-f3719723-0b69-423b-93cd-af54ff73bc95#:~:text=July%2017%2C%202023%20%E2%80%93%20Willamette%20Week,of%20at%20least%20four%20women.
5. KOIN: https://www.koin.com/news/crime/timeline-jesse-calhouns-criminal-past-and-the-details-of-his-recent-arrest/
6. Statesmen Journal: https://www.newspapers.com/image/984993517/?terms=%22jesse%20lee%20calhoun%22&match=1
7. KOIN: https://www.koin.com/news/oregon/were-not-giving-up-mother-of-kristin-smith-speaks-out-after-person-of-interest-linked-to-4-womens-deaths/
8. KPTV: https://www.kptv.com/2023/05/25/missing-gresham-womans-remains-found-portland-police-say/
9. Oregon DOC: https://docpub.state.or.us/OOS/searchCriteria.jsf
10. LA Times: https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2023-07-19/deaths-4-women-oregon-person-of-interest-held
11. KPIC: https://kpic.com/news/local/remains-idd-as-missing-22-year-old-portland-woman-death-suspicious
12. KGW: https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/mother-woman-found-dead-speaks-daughter-person-of-interest/283-b01519d8-be90-4d4c-a376-20f6681614a3
13. KVAL: https://kval.com/news/local/father-mourns-loss-of-daughter-as-person-of-interest-named-in-four-oregon-deaths
14. Willamette Week: https://www.wweek.com/news/courts/2023/07/20/ashley-real-later-found-dead-reportedly-filed-a-domestic-violence-complaint-against-alleged-serial-killer-jesse-lee-calhoun/
15. KPTV: https://www.kptv.com/2023/06/02/6-women-found-dead-around-portland-metro-past-4-months/
16. Daily Mail: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12153123/Six-women-dead-Portland-woods-three-months.html
17. Oregon Live: https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2023/06/united-by-grief-families-of-slain-portland-area-women-search-for-answers.html
18. NBC: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/body-oregon-woman-found-washington-barn-appears-moved-rcna81310
19. Oregon Live: https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2023/06/medical-examiner-asks-public-for-help-identifying-woman-found-dead-in-se-portland.html
20. KPIC: https://kpic.com/news/local/victims-grandfather-says-link-in-cases-brings-closure
21. Multnomah County DIstrict Attorney: https://www.mcda.us/index.php/news/joint-release-information-links-four-victims-in-ongoing-death-investigations-person-of-interest-identified
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