Five Victims Identified in Oregon Mass Killing; Suspect Found Dead in Washington
Authorities in Oregon have identified five people killed at a rural property outside Portland, revealing a tragedy that claimed three generations of one fami...
Authorities in Oregon have identified five people killed at a rural property outside Portland, revealing a tragedy that claimed three generations of one family and two friends. The suspect, who investigators believe took his own life, was the boyfriend of one of the victims.
The bodies were discovered Saturday at a home near Forest Grove, about 30 miles west of Portland. By Monday, the Washington County Sheriff's Office had named all five deceased: Mary Elizabeth Kimsey, 85; her daughter Rowan Karla Kimsey, 60; and granddaughter Stella Jade Kimsey, 26—along with Stella's best friend Linsey Mae Haraldsen, 26, and Haraldsen's partner Alvin Raymond Chu, 27.
The Suspect's Connection
The prime suspect, Benjamin Charles Parker, 36, was romantically involved with Stella Kimsey. On Sunday, authorities in Enumclaw, Washington—roughly 187 miles north of the crime scene—discovered Parker dead inside his vehicle. Police believe he died by suicide, though they have not released additional details about the circumstances.
Rowan Kimsey owned the property where the killings occurred and lived there with her daughter and Parker. The relationship between Parker and Stella, and whatever events preceded the deaths, remain under investigation by the sheriff's office, which has described the case as "complex."
The Wider Toll
The violence extended beyond the five victims. Two cats and two dogs were found dead at the scene. A third cat, injured during the incident, was taken to a veterinarian but had to be euthanized due to the severity of its injuries. Livestock on the property has since been rehomed.
Sheriff's Detective Shannon Wilde noted the scale of the scene during initial response. The property sits on rural land with other homes nearby and heavy vegetation—characteristics that likely complicated the early investigation. "A lot of vegetation," Wilde observed, describing the setting as large and complex.
The sheriff's office confirmed that next of kin have been notified of the deaths.
