FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: December 16, 2024
Man lying on tracks killed by passing train
Salem, Ore. — At approximately 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 15, emergency responders were called to the railroad tracks near the intersection of 22nd ST & Claxter RD NE due to a collision involving a train and an individual on the tracks.
A Union Pacific rail crew traveling northbound and approaching Hyacinth ST NE reported what appeared to be a person lying on the tracks. The train crew sounded the horn repeatedly and used emergency measures but could not avoid the collision.
Samuel Lewis Hecocta, age 35 of Salem, was declared deceased at the scene.
The death investigation was completed, and the train released to continue its route by about 5 p.m.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
UPDATE: December 2, 2024 | 1115
Death investigation ruled homicide, suspect in custody
Apartment fire leads to suspicious death investigation
Update: Detectives arrested a California man for his role in the death of a Salem resident in his apartment early Saturday morning.
The victim, Kristopher Douglas Stokes was found deceased inside his dwelling unit after firefighters responded to a blaze at the apartment building. An autopsy performed by the State Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the cause of Stokes’ death as a homicide.
The investigation led detectives to a suspect in the case, David James Damon Alexander, age 45. Alexander was spotted in the 700 block of Commercial ST NE by a Salem Police officer. He was taken into custody without incident.
Alexander is lodged at the Marion County Jail on charges of second-degree murder and third-degree robbery.
No further information regarding the investigation which led to Alexander’s arrest is available for release.
The cause of the fire remains an ongoing investigation.
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ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED 12/01/2024 | 1330
Apartment fire leads to suspicious death investigation
Salem, Ore. — Salem Police detectives are currently investigating the death of a Salem man in a fire at residential apartment building yesterday, November 30.
At approximately 2:45 a.m. Saturday morning, Salem police and firefighters responded to an apartment fire in the 1100 block of Chemeketa ST NE. Personnel located a deceased 38-year-old man in one of the units.
Due to the suspicious nature of the victim’s death and origin of the fire, the incident is being handled by the Salem Police Violent Crimes Unit as a suspicious death investigation. Separately, the cause of the fire is being investigated in conjunction with the Salem Fire Department.
No further information is being released in either case.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: November 29, 2024
One deceased in single-vehicle crash on the parkway
Salem, Ore. — At approximately 7:30 a.m. today, officers and other emergency personnel responded to a collision on the Martin Luther King JR Parkway.
Witnesses reported the driver of a pickup truck traveling southbound slowly drove off the roadway after passing through the intersection at Broadway ST NE. The truck struck a tree and traveled back onto the roadway where the vehicle stopped. Passersby attempted to provide medical aid to the unresponsive driver before the arrival of paramedics.
The driver, 37-year-old Brett David Dhone of Canby, was transported to Salem Health where he later died.
The Traffic Team’s preliminary investigation indicates Dhone suffered a medical event prior to the collision.
The parkway was closed for approximately two hours between Liberty and Broadway STS NE with the assistance of an Oregon Department of Transportation traffic control crew.
The investigation into the collision is ongoing, and there are no other details available for release.
Today’s traffic incident is the twentieth fatal collision of 2024. In all, these collisions have resulted in 21 deaths, a marked increase when compared to the same time frame in 2023 which had 11 deadly crashes resulting in 12 fatalities.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
UPDATE: November 26, 2024 | 3:30 p.m.
Suspect now in custody
Police investigate stabbing incident as a homicide
Salem Police Violent Crimes Unit detectives arrested a Salem teenager today for his involvement in the death of Riley John Adams, age 19. Adams was critically injured in a July 27 stabbing incident at Wallace Marine Park and subsequently died from his injuries on August 19.
During the investigation, Salem Police detectives learned the stabbing incident resulted from a spontaneous dispute amongst youth gathered at the Wallace Marine Park boat ramp that July morning.
Today, Salem Police detectives from various units, with assistance from the SWAT team and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), served a search warrant at a residence associated with the 16-year-old male suspect in the case. The boy was detained without incident and lodged at the Yamhill County Juvenile Detention Center on the charges of second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon, the knife.
With the only suspect in the case now in custody, all further inquiries about this investigation should be directed to the Polk County District Attorney’s Office.
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Originally published 08/20/2024 | 3:00 p.m.
Police investigate stabbing incident as a homicide
Salem, Ore. — The Salem Police Violent Crimes Unit is investigating a stabbing incident that occurred in late July at Wallace Marine Park in west Salem.
At about 2:15 a.m. on July 27, patrol officers responded to the call of a victim with a stab wound who was in the south end of the park. Officers found a young adult with multiple stab wounds and provided emergency medical aid. Paramedics arrived and transported the victim to Salem Health.
The victim is identified as Riley John Adams, a 19-year-old Salem resident. Adams remained hospitalized and in critical condition until his death on Monday, August 19. The incident is being investigated as a homicide.
Anyone with information concerning what transpired that Saturday morning and led to Adams’ death is asked to call the Salem Police Tips Line at 503‑588‑8477.
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