HILLSBORO, Ore.- On November 8, 2019, a Washington County jury found Martin Allen Johnson guilty of eight counts of first-degree murder in the 1998 rape and murder of 15-year-old Heather Fraser. The jury delivered a unanimous decision after less than three hours of deliberations. Chief Deputy District Attorney Bracken McKey and Senior Deputy District Attorney Jeff MacLean prosecuted Mr. Johnson in Judge Eric Butterfield’s courtroom.
Mr. Johnson was convicted of aggravated murder in 2001. In 2017, the Oregon Supreme Court upheld a decision made by the Oregon Court of Appeals to overturn the conviction, citing inadequate representation on behalf of Mr. Johnson’s defense team during the original trial.
Mr. Johnson was charged with eight counts of first-degree murder in this new case due to new guidelines established by Senate Bill 1013. Those guidelines also barred prosecutors from seeking the death penalty once again.
During the course of the two-week trial, Mr. McKey and Mr. MacLean proved to the jury that Mr. Martin drugged, raped and killed Ms. Fraser. The defendant then drove the victim to Astoria, Oregon where he threw her body off a bridge and into the Columbia River.
Mr. Martin was quickly identified as a suspect by authorities. He then fled the state and was apprehended in Florida more than a year later.
A sentencing hearing will be held on November 13, 2019 at 9 a.m. in Judge Butterfield’s courtroom.
HILLSBORO, Ore.- Opening statements will begin on October 29, 2019, in the murder trial of Martin Allen Johnson. Mr. Johnson was convicted of aggravated murder in 2001. In 2017, the Oregon Supreme Court upheld a decision made by the Oregon Court of Appeals to overturn the conviction, citing inadequate representation on behalf of Mr. Johnson’s defense team during the original trial.
Mr. Johnson was indicted by a Washington County grand jury for the 1998 rape and murder of 15-year-old Heather Fraser.
Under new guidelines established by Senate Bill 1013, Mr. Johnson can no longer be charged with aggravated murder. He is now charged with first-degree murder. He also cannot be sentenced to death if found guilty once again.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Bracken McKey and Senior Deputy District Attorney Jeff MacLean will prosecute the case against Mr. Johnson.
Opening statements are slated to begin at 9 a.m. in Judge Eric Butterfield’s courtroom.
HILLSBORO, Ore.- On October 11, 2019, a Washington County jury found John William Miller III guilty of five counts of first-degree sex abuse. Deputy District Attorney Chris Lewman prosecuted the case against Mr. Miller III in Judge Oscar Garcia’s courtroom.
The defendant was a previously convicted sex offender when he moved in with the victim and her mother in 2012. The abuse began a few years later and spanned at least three years.
The abuse came to light when the victim was admitted to a hospital while suffering from suicidal thoughts. At this point, the victim disclosed details of the abuse to hospital staff. She was eventually interviewed by experts at CARES Northwest where she provided a more detailed account of the abuse.
During the course of the trial, additional details of the defendant’s misconduct were disclosed. The jury heard evidence that the defendant admitted to his sex offender treatment provider that he had been pulling down the victim’s pants in what he described as a game, and that he looked at “nudist minors” online.
The Washington County District Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the work of Detective Aaron Massey of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, as well as that of staff at the Oregon Department of Human Services and CARES Northwest.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 6, 2019. The defendant will remain in custody until that time.
HILLSBORO, Ore.- On October 11, 2019, Judge Eric Butterfield sentenced Hans Robert Eaton to 82 months in prison after he was convicted of two counts of second-degree assault, two counts of felony hit and run, one count of driving under the influence of intoxicants, and one count of reckless driving. Deputy District Attorney William Stabler prosecuted the case against Mr. Eaton.
On February 18, 2019, Mr. Eaton was spotted driving erratically down Boones Ferry Road in Tualatin. Witnesses observed his vehicle weaving in and out of his lane of travel before he quickly accelerated, entered the oncoming lane and crashed head-on into a second vehicle.
After the crash, witnesses observed Mr. Eaton exit his vehicle. He then staggered around the scene and repeatedly asked others what happened. Mr. Eaton then left the scene, despite being told to remain, and entered a nearby business complex. He then climbed approximately 20 feet up a tree in an apparent effort to elude police. Police eventually located him, and he was taken into custody.
Responding officers with the Tualatin Police Department observed numerous signs of intoxication, consistent with opioid use when they interacted with Mr. Eaton at the scene. The investigation ultimately revealed Mr. Eaton had methamphetamine, morphine, hydrocodone, and marijuana in his system.
The two victims in this case were severely injured in the crash, including multiple broken bones and a brain injury.
The Washington County District Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the work of Tualatin Police as well as that of the Washington County Crash Analysis Reconstruction Team (CART). This office would also like to commend the witnesses who assisted with the investigation.
In addition to his prison sentence, Mr. Eaton was ordered to pay more than $6,000 in restitution. Mr. Eaton has been transferred to the Oregon Department of Corrections to begin serving his sentence.