Clark County officials said Monday they have found no evidence tying its investigation of JoAnna Speaks’ death to the deaths of four Oregon women found within 100 miles of each other in the greater Portland area this year.
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office said it has been working with detectives from other jurisdictions involved in recent homicide cases, and deputies have been investigating the possibility that Speaks’ death could be connected to the other area cases. Her body was found April 8 at an abandoned property in Ridgefield, Washington, about 22 miles north of Portland
However, officials say detectives have no evidence linking Speaks’ death to the other cases. Clark County officials said that “detectives are still gathering and reviewing evidence and statements.”
The announcement came after the Multnomah County District Attorney’s office announced Monday it had identified a person of interest in the deaths of the four Oregon women. The office did not name the person, however other law enforcement sources identified the person as 38-year-old Jesse Calhoun.
Calhoun was among 41 prisoners whose sentences Gov. Kate Brown commuted in 2021 for fighting wildfires in 2020, as first reported by Willamette Week.
Calhoun went to prison in 2019 on stolen vehicle and burglary convictions. He previously fought with a police dog and officer, court records show.
–Kristine de Leon; kdeleon@oregonian.com
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