In the early months of 2023, six women turned up dead in and around Portland, Oregon, sparking rumors of a serial killer. Though police originally claimed they did not believe that the cases were connected, similarities emerged between four of the women, and one man linked them all. To the dismay of the public, not only did this suspect have multiple other crimes under his belt, but he had been granted early release from prison for fighting forest fires on the west coast. These are the stories of Kristin Smith, Charity Perry, Bridget Webster, Joanna Speaks, Ashley Real, and an unidentified Native woman. It’s also the story of Jesse Lee Calhoun.

Sources:

1. Oregon Live: https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2023/07/girlfriend-of-man-linked-to-deaths-of-4-women-says-he-knew-at-least-two-of-the-victims.html

2. Interview with Krista: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-WrdbtKNAs

3. Williamette Week: https://www.wweek.com/news/courts/2023/10/06/in-latest-sign-of-impending-charges-state-assigns-suspected-serial-killer-an-attorney/

4. KGW: https://www.kgw.com/article/news/investigations/timeline-for-connected-deaths-of-four-women-around-portland/283-f3719723-0b69-423b-93cd-af54ff73bc95#:~:text=July%2017%2C%202023%20%E2%80%93%20Willamette%20Week,of%20at%20least%20four%20women.

5. KOIN: https://www.koin.com/news/crime/timeline-jesse-calhouns-criminal-past-and-the-details-of-his-recent-arrest/

6. Statesmen Journal: https://www.newspapers.com/image/984993517/?terms=%22jesse%20lee%20calhoun%22&match=1

7. KOIN: https://www.koin.com/news/oregon/were-not-giving-up-mother-of-kristin-smith-speaks-out-after-person-of-interest-linked-to-4-womens-deaths/

8. KPTV: https://www.kptv.com/2023/05/25/missing-gresham-womans-remains-found-portland-police-say/

9. Oregon DOC: https://docpub.state.or.us/OOS/searchCriteria.jsf

10. LA Times: https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2023-07-19/deaths-4-women-oregon-person-of-interest-held

11. KPIC: https://kpic.com/news/local/remains-idd-as-missing-22-year-old-portland-woman-death-suspicious

12. KGW: https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/mother-woman-found-dead-speaks-daughter-person-of-interest/283-b01519d8-be90-4d4c-a376-20f6681614a3

13. KVAL: https://kval.com/news/local/father-mourns-loss-of-daughter-as-person-of-interest-named-in-four-oregon-deaths

14. Willamette Week: https://www.wweek.com/news/courts/2023/07/20/ashley-real-later-found-dead-reportedly-filed-a-domestic-violence-complaint-against-alleged-serial-killer-jesse-lee-calhoun/

15. KPTV: https://www.kptv.com/2023/06/02/6-women-found-dead-around-portland-metro-past-4-months/

16. Daily Mail: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12153123/Six-women-dead-Portland-woods-three-months.html

17. Oregon Live: https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2023/06/united-by-grief-families-of-slain-portland-area-women-search-for-answers.html

18. NBC: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/body-oregon-woman-found-washington-barn-appears-moved-rcna81310

19. Oregon Live: https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2023/06/medical-examiner-asks-public-for-help-identifying-woman-found-dead-in-se-portland.html

20. KPIC: https://kpic.com/news/local/victims-grandfather-says-link-in-cases-brings-closure

21. Multnomah County DIstrict Attorney: https://www.mcda.us/index.php/news/joint-release-information-links-four-victims-in-ongoing-death-investigations-person-of-interest-identified