‘Unlike any in 22 years’: Oregon sheriff describes unusual case as five deaths probed as quintuple homicide
Five people and several domestic animals were found dead at a rural property in Oregon, with authorities investigating the deaths as a complex homicide case. The suspected killer was later found dead inside his vehicle in neighbouring Washington state.Washington County Sheriff Caprice Massey said the investigation was unlike anything she had encountered during her more than two decades with the department.“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,” Massey said.The Washington County Sheriff’s Office identified 36-year-old Benjamin Charles Parker as the suspect. Authorities later found Parker dead inside his vehicle in Enumclaw, Washington, about 45 miles from Seattle. Police believe he died by suicide, Reuters reported.The investigation began early Saturday after authorities were called to a rural property in Forest Grove following a report of a vehicle on fire. The property is about 30 miles west of downtown Portland, according to the Associated Press.Responders found five bodies and several dead domestic animals at the property. Authorities have not disclosed the exact number or types of animals found.Before Parker was identified, officials said no arrests had been made and no one was in custody. Detectives had said they did not believe the deaths were the result of a random attack, but did not provide further details.Authorities were still working to identify the victims and notify their next of kin, Detective Shannon Wilde said at a news conference on Sunday.“Any time you have one person deceased, let alone five, that’s a logistical challenge,” Wilde said.He said investigators were also dealing with a “very active investigation with a lot of moving pieces”, pointing to the size of the crime scene and the complexity of the case.Authorities withheld details about the deaths until Sunday afternoon as investigators worked to establish the victims’ identities and contact their families.Massey urged anyone who had information about the Forest Grove property or its residents to contact investigators.The sheriff’s office is continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the five deaths and Parker’s death in Washington.
