Accused Serial Killer Arraigned On Fifth Murder Charge

A man accused of killing aggregate women and disposing of their bodies successful nan Portland area was arraigned connected Wednesday connected a 5th murder charge.

Jesse Calhoun entered a not-guilty plea done his defense lawyer during a proceeding successful Portland attended by relatives of nan victims. Calhoun did not speak during nan proceedings, which followed his indictment past week connected a second-degree execution complaint linked to nan decease of Ashley Real, 22, successful 2023.

Calhoun now faces 5 counts of second-degree execution and 4 counts of maltreatment of a corpse. The bodies of nan alleged victims were discovered complete respective months successful early 2023, prompting fears that a serial killer could beryllium targeting young women successful nan region.

He has antecedently been indicted complete nan deaths of Kristin Smith, 22; Charity Perry, 24; Bridget Webster, 31; and Joanna Speaks, 32.

He remains successful custody astatine nan Multnomah County Detention Center. His defense attorneys didn’t instantly respond to an email seeking comment.

Real, Perry, Webster and Smith were recovered successful northwestern Oregon, while Speaks was recovered adjacent an abandoned barn successful southwestern Washington. Their bodies were recovered successful a astir 100-mile (160-kilometer) radius, including successful wooded areas and successful a culvert.

Jose Real, Ashley Real's father, was successful tears arsenic he said pinch reporters aft nan hearing. He recalled memories of watching her turn up and playing pinch her brother.

“I ne'er thought aliases imagined that my family would acquisition thing for illustration this,” he said done a Spanish interpreter. “She had a bosom of gold.”

Masciell Real, Ashley's sister, besides said done tears.

“I deliberation being successful that courtroom coming and being capable to spot him, and cognize that he is down bars now, it takes nan weight disconnected my shoulders knowing that he isn’t astir and free to origin immoderate harm to immoderate different women retired there,” she said. “But it besides doesn’t return distant nan truth that my sister isn’t present anymore.”

Relatives of different victims were besides present.

“We've each knowledgeable nan worst point that could ever hap to you, and it's incredibly difficult to spot 1 of nan different families wounded nan measurement we do,” said Melissa Smith, mother of Kristin Smith.

Jose Real antecedently told The Associated Press that he had called constabulary successful November 2022 aft his girl showed up crying astatine his Portland home, saying she had been choked by Calhoun. She had marks connected her throat, he said, and he took her to a hospital.

Real said astatine nan clip that an first constabulary study was taken but that nan lawsuit was past transferred to a different jurisdiction and it was difficult to scope those overseeing it. Details of nan onslaught were first reported by The Oregonian/OregonLive.

His daughter's assemblage was recovered successful May 2023 by a man who was sportfishing successful a pond southeast of Portland.

Calhoun was arrested successful June 2023 connected unrelated parole warrants and past indicted successful 2024 and 2025 successful nan different 4 women’s deaths. The first indictment came weeks earlier Calhoun was owed to beryllium released from authorities prison, wherever he was returned successful 2023 to decorativeness serving a four-year word for assaulting a constabulary officer, trying to strangle a constabulary dog, burglary and different charges.

He was initially released successful 2021, a twelvemonth early, because he helped conflict wildfires successful 2020 nether a situation firefighting program. Gov. Tina Kotek revoked nan commutation successful 2023 erstwhile constabulary began investigating him successful nan deaths.

A proceedings day has yet to beryllium set.