Oregon Authorities Identify Five Homicide Victims, Suspect Found Dead
The Story
Authorities identified five people found dead at a rural Oregon property as the suspected killer’s girlfriend, three generations of her family, and two friends. Investigators are treating the deaths as a quintuple homicide after the bodies were discovered Saturday near Forest Grove, about 30 miles west of Portland. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office named the victims as Stella Jade Kimsey, 26, her mother Rowan Karla Kimsey, 60, and her grandmother Mary Elizabeth Kimsey, 85. Stella Kimsey’s best friend, Linsey Mae Haraldsen, 26, and Haraldsen’s partner, Alvin Raymond Chu, 27, were also killed. Rowan Kimsey owned the rural property and lived there with her daughter and the suspect. The suspected killer, Benjamin Charles Parker, 36, was found dead Sunday inside his car in Enumclaw, Washington, approximately 187 miles from the crime scene. Authorities believe Parker died by suicide and state there is no continuing threat to the public. The investigation began early Saturday when emergency crews responded to reports of a vehicle fire at the property, subsequently discovering the five bodies and several animals. Two dogs and two cats were found dead at the scene, and another cat was euthanized due to severe injuries. Authorities have not disclosed how the five victims or the animals died. They also have not specified what evidence led them to identify Parker as the suspect or revealed a possible motive for the killings. Sheriff Caprice Massey described the crime scene as extraordinary in its scale and complexity, stating she had not witnessed a scene quite this complex in her 22 years with the office.
The Spread
What they agree on
- Five bodies were discovered on a rural property near Forest Grove, Oregon, about 30 miles west of Portland.
- Authorities are treating the deaths as a quintuple homicide.
- The suspected killer, Benjamin Charles Parker, 36, was found dead by suicide in Enumclaw, Washington.
- The victims include three generations of a family, the suspect's girlfriend, and two friends.
- Multiple animals were also found dead at the crime scene.
Where they split
- The Independent (International Source) provides the most detailed identification of all five victims and their relationships to the suspect and each other.
- CBS News and Fox News mention Benjamin Charles Parker's age as 36, a detail not explicitly stated in all other initial reports.
- The Independent (International Source) details the discovery of dead animals and the fate of an injured cat, which other initial reports mention more generally.
- Initial reports from HuffPost, Houston Chronicle, and Associated Press focus on the discovery of the bodies and the ongoing police investigation, without naming the suspect or victims.