Jesse Lee Calhoun, the person of interest in the deaths of several women in 2023 was indicted Friday on murder charges for three deaths.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Jesse Lee Calhoun, the person of interest in the deaths of several local women in 2023, was indicted Friday on murder charges for three deaths.
According to the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office, Calhoun is accused of murdering Charity Lynn Perry, 24, Bridget Leanne Webster, 31, and Joanna Speaks, 32.
Calhoun, a convicted felon, faces charges including three counts of second-degree murder and three counts of second-degree abuse of a corpse.
In 2023, five women were found dead in the span of three months. Although police initially said the deaths were unrelated, they later concluded that four of the deaths could be linked.
The victims included Kristin Smith, found in a field within the Pleasant Valley neighborhood on Feb. 19, 2023; Charity Perry, discovered near Ainsworth State Park on April 24; Bridget Webster, found on the side of a road in Polk County on April 30; and Ashley Real, located in a heavily wooded area of Eagle Creek on May 7.
Joanna Speaks was not initially tied to Calhoun, though a medical examiner previously determined blunt force trauma as the cause of her death when her body was discovered near an abandoned barn in Ridgefield.
Investigations into the deaths of Kristin Smith and Ashley Real are ongoing. The death of a sixth woman previously included in the investigation was ruled as not a homicide.
"As with the majority of homicides, these cases are complex, and it requires a significant investigation involving many different law enforcement agencies,” Senior Deputy DA Melissa Marrero said. “There's still more work to be done. Investigations are ongoing,”
According to the Department of Corrections, Calhoun had been charged with three counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle, one count of assaulting a public safety officer and one count of first-degree burglary in 2019.
His original projected release date was in June 2022.
However, in 2021, then-governor Kate Brown signed a commutation order providing clemency to certain prisoners who met the criteria. Calhoun was one of those prisoners and was released on July 22, 2021.
Gov. Kotek later revoked Calhoun’s clemency from conviction on July 3, 2023.
Calhoun was already in custody for parole violations at the time of the May 2024 indictment. Court documents show he was set to be released on June 7 if charges related to the murders had not been filed in time.
Anyone with information about Calhoun is encouraged to contact Portland police.
