Media Release Update #3: Press Conference Update For Otis Lane Homicide Investigation (Photo) - 08/25/26

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office held a press conference today to provide an update on the Otis Lane homicide investigation.

Sheriff Caprice Massey acknowledged the profound impact of the tragedy on the community and the families of the five victims: Mary, Rowan, Stella, Linsey, and Alvin.

Although the suspect is deceased, the investigation continues. Evidence processing, laboratory analysis, and timeline reconstruction will take months. The Sheriff’s Office remains committed to providing the families with answers as information becomes available.

Photographs of Mary Kimsey, Rowan Kimsey, Stella Kimsey, and Linsey Haraldsen are available. Linsey Haraldsen’s and Alvin Chu’s families request no media contact or interviews. The Chu family requested that no photograph be released.

The Kimsey family provided the following statement:

"Mary was the matriarch of our wide and close-knit family. She was a caring person to her family and her community. She was also a spiritual person who was an activist for people, nature, and the Earth. Stella was incredibly passionate and fiercely loving. When she believed in something, she never gave up or backed down. Farm life was what she was born to do, and she was never happier than when she was living out on the land. Rowan was an incredibly talented and dedicated artist, traditional and tattoo, and trained many artists in the Pacific Northwest who carry her teaching and mentorship on in their work. She had a delightfully sharp wit, and loved every new adventure. They all adored animals, being out in nature, and above all else, each other and their family. It would make them very happy to know that the farm animals have found a good life where they will be well cared for, and we thank the Sheriff's office and anyone else involved for ensuring they found the right home.  

Linsey Haraldsen was a beloved part of our family, too. She was as much a sister to Stella's sister Alexis as Stella was, and they were inseparable for many years. She was sweet and funny and she was the kind of friend to Stella and others that everyone deserves to have. We sadly did not know Alvin, but he must have been a very special person for Linsey to have loved him, and for Mary, Rowan, and Stella to have liked him as much and as sincerely as we know that they did.  

Additionally, Stella’s sister Alexis Callen wanted to share that as the sister, daughter, and granddaughter of three of the victims, she has nothing but love and compassion for Ben Parker's family, and she would like to ask the public to treat them with the same respect and care that they are giving to the Kimsey family. They too are facing an unimaginable loss and immense grief of their own."

Sheriff Massey recognized the work of Sheriff’s Office personnel and partner agencies who assisted in the investigation:

•           Patrol Deputies

•           Detectives

•           Forensics

•           Property and Evidence

•           Incident Management Team

•           Remotely Operated Vehicle Team

•           Crash Analysis Reconstruction Team

•           Search and Rescue

•           Tactical Negotiations Team

•           Washington County Major Crimes Team

•           Forest Grove Fire Department

•           Forest Grove Police Department

•           Beaverton Police Department

•           Cornelius Police Department

•           Hillsboro Police Department

•           Tigard Police Department

•           Portland Police Bureau

•           Washington State Police

•           Enumclaw, Washington Police Department

•           Kingston, Rhode Island Police Department

•           Upper Merion Township, Pennsylvania Police Department

•           Federal Bureau of Investigations

•           Oregon State Police Forensic Services Division

•           Washington County District Attorney’s Office

•           Washington County Medical Examiner’s Office

•           Washington County Animal Services

•           Washington County Digital Forensic Lab

•           Washington County Consolidated Communications Agency

•           American Medical Response

•           Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue

•           Western States Information Network - Oregon Watch Center

As we share details today in the interest of transparency, we keep the profound loss of Mary, Rowan, Stella, Linsey, and Alvin at the center.

Anyone with information is asked to call non-emergency dispatch at 503-629-0111 and reference case number 50-26-11866.

Sheriff Massey To Hold Press Briefing At 2:30 P.m. - 08/25/26

The Washington County Sheriff's Office is holding a press conference on August 25, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. to provide information regarding the death investigation on NW Otis Lane. The conference will be held at WCSO Headquarters (215 SW Adams Avenue) in the event rooms on the second floor. 

The press conference will also be live streamed and can be viewed here: Washington County Sheriff's Office : Press Conference - August 25, 2026

Media Release Update #2: Victims Of Quintuple Homicide Identified - 08/24/26

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office has identified the decedents from the homicide investigation at 47350 NW Otis Ln.

•           Mary Elizabeth Kimsey, 85, of Portland

•           Rowan Karla Kimsey, 60, of Forest Grove

•           Stella Jade Kimsey, 26, of Forest Grove

•           Linsey Mae Haraldsen, 26, of Portland

•           Alvin Raymond Chu, 27, of Portland

Mary was Rowan’s mother and Stella’s grandmother. Linsey was Stella’s best friend and Alvin was Linsey’s partner. Rowan owned and lived at the property. Stella also lived there with her boyfriend, Benjamin Parker, the suspect in this case.  

In addition, two cats and two dogs on the property were found deceased. One additional cat was found injured and transported to a veterinarian for treatment, but it was later euthanized due to the extent of its injuries. Livestock on the property have since been rehomed.

The next-of-kin of the decedents have been notified.

Media Partners: There will be an additional press conference tomorrow, August 25, at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, 215 SW Adams Ave. in Hillsboro. The exact time of the press conference is still being determined and will be pushed out tomorrow with adequate notice.

MEDIA RELEASE UPDATE #1: Suspect in Quintuple Homicide Located Deceased

Sheriff’s Office detectives identified 36-year-old Benjamin Charles Parker as the suspect in the homicide investigation at 47350 NW Otis Lane. Through their investigation, they believed that Parker was in Enumclaw, WA. Officers from the Enumclaw Police Department located Parker’s vehicle and found him deceased inside. It is believed he died by suicide.  

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office does not believe there is any danger to the public. The investigation is ongoing.

ORIGINAL MEDIA RELEASE: Detectives Investigating Homicide After Five Found Dead

On Saturday, August 22, 2026, at 5:27 a.m., Washington County Sheriff’s Office (Sheriff’s Office) deputies responded to assist the Forest Grove Fire Department at 47350 NW Otis Ln in unincorporated Washington County outside of Forest Grove after a 911 caller reported a vehicle fire in the area. 

Fire personnel at the scene discovered human remains and requested deputies to respond. Subsequently, responders found a total of five people deceased, along with several domestic animals.

Sheriff’s Office detectives, with the help of the Washington County Major Crimes Team (MCT), are conducting the investigation. MCT is an inter-agency team comprised of detectives from law enforcement agencies within Washington County. 

The Oregon State Police Crime Lab Forensics responded to process the scene, along with members from the Sheriff’s Office Forensics and Property & Evidence.  

The investigation has been supported by the Sheriff’s Office Remotely Operated Vehicle Team, Crash Analysis Reconstruction Team, Search and Rescue, and Tactical Negotiations Team. 

The Sheriff's Office would like to thank the following agencies for their assistance during the investigation:

• Forest Grove Fire Department

• Forest Grove Police Department

• Beaverton Police Department 

• Cornelius Police Department

• Hillsboro Police Department

• Tigard Police Department

• Oregon State Police Crime Lab

• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms

• Washington County Animal Services

• Washington Medical Examiner’s Office

• Washington County Digital Forensics Lab

• American Medical Response

No arrests have been made, and detectives do not believe this was a random act of violence. The Sheriff’s Office is seeking tips from the public. Anyone with information about the residents of the property or their associates are asked to call non-emergency dispatch at 503-629-0111 and reference case number 50-26-11866. 

Media Release Update: Suspect In Quintuple Homicide Located Deceased - 08/23/26

URGENT UPDATE: Detectives Investigating Homicide After Five Found Dead - 08/23/26

The Washington County Sheriff's Office will be providing an update to the media on August 23, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. to provide additional information to the public regarding the ongoing homicide investigation on NW Otis Ln. 

The update will be held at the media staging area on NW Otis Ln and NW Hillside Rd in unincorporated Washington County outside of Forest Grove. 

Sheriff Massey To Hold Press Briefing At 2:00 P.m. - 08/23/26

The Washington County Sheriff's Office is holding a press conference on August 23, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. to provide information to the public regarding the death investigation on NW Otis Lane. The conference will be held at WCSO Headquarters (215 SW Adams Avenue) in the event rooms on the second floor. 

The press conference will also be live streamed and can be viewed here: Washington County Sheriff's Office : Press Conference - August 23rd, 2026

Deputies Arrest Woman For Hit-And-Run Involving A Pedestrian - 08/19/26

On Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at about 9:15 p.m., Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a traffic crash near the intersection of SW 185^th Avenue and Tualatin Valley Highway (TV). A 911 caller reported a vehicle had struck a pedestrian and fled the scene heading eastbound on TV Highway.

Multiple deputies and Beaverton Police Officers responded to look for the suspect while personnel from Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, and American Medical Response attended to the victim. While deputies and officers were searching for the suspect, another caller reported that they were following the suspect's vehicle and provided dispatch with the location. Deputies located and stopped 44-year-old Anne Elizalde of Tigard in the 2002 Lexus RX300 near SW Murray Boulevard and SW Sexton Mountain Drive.

The victim was transported to a local hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries, and is expected to recover. The driver, Ms. Elizalde, was arrested and taken to the Washington County Jail for felony hit-and-run.

The Sheriff’s Office is grateful to all the witnesses who stopped to check on the victim, called 911, and to the driver who followed the suspect vehicle and reported it.

If you witnessed this incident and have not spoken to deputies, please contact non-emergency dispatch at 503-629-0111 referencing case number 50-26-11718. 

WASHINGTON COUNTY DA COLD CASE UNIT INVESTIGATION LEADS TO MURDER CHARGES IN 1994 UNSOLVED HOMICIDE - 08/05/26

HILLSBORO, Ore- Randall Joseph Gall, age 66, was arrested Tuesday, August 4, 2026, for the 1994 murder of 85-year-old Veta Hardebeck, of Gaston.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Negotiations Team facilitated the arrest at the defendant’s home in Gaston, Ore. on August 4, 2026, after a Washington County Grand Jury issued an indictment charging Mr. Gall with Murder in the Second Degree on Monday. He is currently held without bail at the Washington County Jail.

Ms. Hardebeck was found deceased in her home on February 16, 1994.  Investigators believe at the time of the homicide Mr. Gall lived on a neighboring property.  Despite a robust investigation in 1994, the case remained unsolved for over 30 years.

The Washington County DA’s Office Cold Case Unit conducted additional investigation on this case using specialized funding from a grant from the Oregon Cold Case Investigators Association (OCCIA) and Brothers Car Collection.  These additional resources allowed investigators to submit multiple items of evidence to a private lab for advanced DNA testing and analysis, resulting in this indictment.

The Washington County DA’s Office Cold Case Unit was founded in 2020 by federal grant funding.  Its mission is to investigate and prosecute violent crime cold cases that involve identified DNA associated with a possible suspect. The Cold Case Unit was formed in partnership with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and funded by the Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance.  The grant funds two cold case detectives and a forensic consultant.

The DA’s Cold Case Unit has solved multiple cases over the past several years.  In March 2023, it solved the 1988 murder of Deborah Atrops, leading to the conviction of her husband, Robert Atrops, following a three-week jury trial.  In February 2026, it worked in partnership with the Hillsboro Police Department to solve the 1992 murder of Elizabeth Wasson by serial killer Cesar Barone.

“We are grateful to the Brothers Car Collection and the Oregon Cold Case Investigators Association for providing critical grant dollars to support advanced DNA testing and analysis,” said Washington County DA Kevin Barton.  “Using today’s science to solve yesterday’s crimes helps ensure we bring justice to victims, their families, and our community.”

Those with information about this, or any other cold case in Washington County, should contact law enforcement. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous can submit a confidential tip.

This release is sent on behalf of the Washington County District Attorney's Office. Please contact them with any questions at 503-846-8671.

Deputies Arrest Gaston Man After Stand-off With Tactical Team (Photo) - 07/30/26

On Wednesday, July 29, 2026, shortly before midnight, Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Forest Grove Police officers responded to a report of a man firing a gun at his residence.

As deputies and officers arrived at the 39000 block of SW Laurelwood Road, they learned that 35-year-old Neil Hektner is a convicted felon and is prohibited from owning or possessing firearms. Deputies and officers contained the area and requested assistance from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Negotiations Team (TNT) and Crisis Negotiations Unit (CNU) to resolve the incident safely.

While CNU was negotiating with Hektner, investigators applied for and were granted a search warrant.  After about two and a half hours, Hektner surrendered, and deputies took him into custody and transported him to jail. Hektner was charged with ten counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

Thankfully, the Sheriff’s Office has not received any reports of anyone or their property being struck by gunfire.

Detectives Seeking Additional Victims After Man Arrested For Stalking Six People (Photo) - 07/29/26

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is seeking information after arresting a Hillsboro man for stalking multiple people. On Friday, July 24, 2026, deputies arrested 64-year-old Edward John Wilson after he followed a woman from a Beaverton business to her home and parked in her driveway. Her family was able to scare Wilson off and called 911.

While deputies were looking into Wilson’s history, they learned he had been reported for similar behavior multiple times over the past few months. Detectives with the Violent Crimes Unit were then assigned to the case. Starting in April 2026, four other women had reported Wilson followed them as well. The reports were not initially connected as the locations were spread apart, covering Hillsboro, Aloha, and Forest Grove.

Detectives interviewed all of the women and learned Wilson’s pattern was to find a woman in the community, often at a business. Wilson would then follow the women as they drove home. Wilson would sometimes use his vehicle to park in their driveway or block their vehicles, and when confronted, he would drive away.

Detectives have identified two vehicles Wilson used to follow people. Most often, Wilson drove his 1977 Chevy pick-up, which was off-white with a distinctive all-red replacement front passenger door. The truck has an Oregon license plate of 9U8319. Wilson also drove a dark gray 2017 BMW X1 SUV, with Oregon license plate 421 KPD. Wilson had access to additional vehicles, including a U-haul pick-up truck.

Detectives developed probable cause to arrest Wilson for stalking five women and one child. On July 29, 2026, detectives arrested Wilson and booked him into the Washington County Jail on six counts of stalking. The investigation is ongoing, and based on surveillance video and other evidence, detectives know Wilson has followed other women from businesses. Wilson lives in the 800 block of SE 37^th Avenue in Hillsboro and targeted women across Washington County.

Detectives are highly concerned about Wilson’s behavior and would like to speak with anyone who might have been affected. Please call 503-846-2700 and reference case 50-26-10433 to speak with detectives if you have information.

Photos of Wilson, the 1977 Chevy, and the 2017 BMW have been included with this media release. Wilson’s photo has been released in accordance with Oregon law to help identify additional criminal activity.