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On December 19, 2024 at about 237pm, a caller reported that her daughter had been stabbed at a residence on SW 4th in Scappoose by a male subject, later identified as 40 year old Derek Lee Welter of Scappoose. Deputies from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and Officers from the Scappoose Police Department arrived and found an unresponsive female laying on the front porch of the house. Responding officers performed CPR on the female, but the suspect was no longer on scene. Medics arrived a short time later and pronounced the female, identified as 34 year old Rhiannon Amelia Meyer of Scappoose, dead at the scene.
Officers gathered a description of the vehicle the suspect was driving when he fled the scene driving, then began a search of the surrounding areas. Investigators then began searching areas that Welter frequented. Shortly after 6:00pm, an Oregon State Trooper (OSP) located a vehicle driving in the area of Gunners Lake Main-line that matched the suspect vehicle. The OSP Trooper waited for additional units to arrive and they attempted to stop the vehicle as it was driving towards them. The suspect vehicle then quickly began reversing away from investigators attempting to flee, but the vehicle backed into the end of the road and could not go any further. Welter is known to carry firearms, so the OSP SWAT was activated and other Deputies / Officers began setting up a perimeter around the vehicle.
Just after 9:00pm, OSP SWAT arrived on scene and began pushing towards the suspect vehicle. At around 11:30pm, the OSP SWAT made contact with the vehicle and arrested the occupant at gunpoint. The driver was identified as the suspect in the murder, Derek Welter. Welter was taken into custody at 11:35pm without further incident. Welter was transported and lodged in the Columbia County Jail on the charges of Murder II, Assault I and Unlawful Use of a Weapon. This investigation is ongoing.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Scappoose Police Department, Oregon State Police, St. Helens Police Department, Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Scappoose Fire Department for their assistance. Sheriff Brian Pixley said, “Through the collaboration and dedication of multiple agencies, we were able to keep the community safe and bring a peaceful resolution to this situation. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Rhiannon Meyer”.