Police in Oregon have found the prime suspect in a quintuple homicide dead in his car more than 180 miles from the crime scene. The bodies of five people and several pets were discovered on a rural property in Forest Grove, a town 30 miles west of Portland, on Saturday (August 22).
Emergency services had initially been called to the address following reports of a vehicle fire. A manhunt was launched to locate the suspect, and on Tuesday (August 25), authorities announced they had found 36-year-old Benjamin Charles Parker dead in his car in Enumclaw, Washington, 187 miles north of the property.
Victims identified
The Washington County Sheriff's Office confirmed the identities of the five people killed. The victims include Parker's girlfriend, 26-year-old Stella Jade Kimsey; her 60-year-old mother, Rowan Karla Kimsey; and her 85-year-old grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Kimsey.
Also among the dead were Stella Kimsey's best friend, 26-year-old Linsey Mae Haraldsen, and Haraldsen's partner, Alvin Raymond Chu, 27. Authorities said Rowan Kimsey owned the property and lived there with her daughter, Stella, along with Parker.
Pets also killed
Two cats and two dogs were also found dead at the scene. Another cat was transported to a vet for treatment but was later euthanized due to the extent of its injuries. The sheriff's office did not specify how the people and animals died in a new update issued on Tuesday.
Authorities found the five bodies on Saturday and announced the homicide investigation on Sunday. They noted the complexity of the investigation and the large crime scene.
"I will say that in my 22 years here, I have not been a part of or witnessed a scene quite this complex involving this type of an investigation," Sheriff Caprice Massey said.
In an initial press conference held on Monday, Sheriff Massey also urged anyone who is familiar with the property or the people who live there to share any information they may have.
