On May 30, 2022, at about 7:30 pm Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call at a residence in the 11000 block of SW Dupee Valley Road in rural Sheridan.  The residence is on a large remote property. A 911 caller reported responding to the residence to check on animals and discovered two adults who appeared to be deceased.  Deputies responded and discovered there were two deceased adults inside the home and evidence indicating the deaths were suspicious in nature.

Detectives with the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit responded and conducted further investigation.  Evidence at the scene was collected and processed, and some evidence is still pending further analysis at the Oregon State Police Forensic Laboratory at this time.

The deceased subjects were identified as Prentis “Rusty” Hale III, age 80 and Karen Hansen-Pieri, age 60.  Both subjects died of gunshot wounds.  The preliminary investigative findings are that the shooting was result of a domestic violence incident between the listed subjects, however the investigation is ongoing. There is no threat to the community and due to the necessary time needed to complete preliminary investigative work and notify next of kin who do not reside in Oregon, no previous release of information regarding this incident was made.

Both subjects had lived at this residence for the past 5 years, and Prentis Hale has lived at the rural property for approximately 25 years.  There was one prior call to the residence involving both subjects in 2020, and that call was non-criminal in nature. 

If you have any relevant information to this case, please contact Detective Sergeant Todd Whitlow at whitlowt@co.yamhill.or.us.