Police in Oregon have launched five murder investigations after the bodies of five people were discovered on a rural property on Sunday. The grim find was made at a home outside Portland, the state's largest city.
Officers were initially called early on Saturday (August 22) to reports of a vehicle fire at a property in Forest Grove, about 30 miles west of downtown Portland.
Emergency services discover remains
Emergency services then found the remains of five people and “several domestic animals”. Detectives do not believe it was a random act of violence.
Few details have emerged in the case, with no arrests made and no one in custody. Authorities have not disclosed the ages or genders of the people found, how they died, or what possible connections they might have with one another. The type of animals found dead also was not specified.
Investigation ongoing
At a news conference Sunday afternoon (August 23), Detective Shannon Wilde with the sheriff’s office said they were still working to determine who the victims were.
“Any time you have one person deceased, let alone five, that’s a logistical challenge,” Wilde said, noting the complexity of the investigation and the large crime scene.
When asked about the time between authorities first discovering the bodies and releasing information the following afternoon, Wilde said authorities were trying to identify the victims and notify their next of kin before holding a news conference while also working on a “very active investigation with a lot of moving pieces.” Authorities wanted to ensure they released accurate information in a responsible way, she said.
Appeal for information
Sheriff Caprice Massey urged anyone familiar with the property or the people who live there to share any information they may have.
“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,” she said.
