Oregon City Police Arrest Suspect In Hate Crime For Swastika Painted At Memorial (Photo) -08/12/21
On 8/10/2021, between the approximate hours of 4:50 PM and 5:25 PM, an unknown individual vandalized a memorial set up at the corner of Beavercreek Road and Library Court. This is adjacent to the Clackamas County Development Services Building. The memorial was for Jermelle Madison, a Black male, who died in the hospital on 6/28/21, after being found unresponsive in a Clackamas County Jail cell. The memorial had been left after a vigil that occurred on Friday, August 6th, at 7 pm.
The suspect had knocked over candles and broke picture frames that contained photos of Mr. Madison. The subject then spray-painted a large Nazi swastika on the sidewalk next to the memorial. The spray paint was later removed by Clackamas County employees.
The vandalized memorial was brought to the attention of the Oregon City Police Department on the morning of 8/11/2021, and OCPD Detectives immediately began investigating the incident as a Bias Crime. Over the next day and a half, attempts were made to identify a suspect.
Detectives worked with the Clackamas County administration to review video surveillance from the surrounding area. The site of the vigil and crime were not in the view of the building cameras. Detectives reached out to local retailers to locate anyone who might have purchased spray paint around the time the vandalism occurred. Local retailers were quick and eager to assist and an unnamed suspect and his vehicle were quickly identified on the morning of 8/12/2021.
Detectives then found the suspect’s vehicle in surveillance video in the area of the crime at the time it occurred. Further, Detectives obtained a subpoena for banking information related to the purchase of the spray paint.
In addition, Detectives searched social media platforms for evidence of the crime and located a video the suspect recorded of himself destroying the memorial. Using a pseudo name, the suspect shared the video on Social media with the caption, “"I unenthusiastically commit a hate crime." The suspect also posted on Social Media, "I also spray-painted a fun German windmill on the sidewalk for good measure. DM for the pic."
At about 3:30 PM on 8/12/2021, OCPD Detectives located the suspect vehicle and the suspect was ultimately identified as 20-year-old Happy Valley resident, Collin Michael Williams. Mr. Williams is a white male. With the help of the Clackamas County Administration, Detectives were able to determine that Mr. Williams was a County employee. Detectives located Mr. Williams and conducted an interview with him. Mr. Williams was cooperative with detectives and admitted painting the swastika and destroying the memorial. The cans of spray paint, along with other evidence, was recovered from Mr. Williams' vehicle.
The case is documented under OCPD case number 21-017117.
Mr. Williams was later lodged at the Clackamas County Jail on the following charges.
Criminal Mischief II - ORS 164.354
Abuse of a memorial - ORS: 166.076
Bias Crime II - ORS:166.155
