Volunteer firefighter is accused of murdering five women

Portland – “Six dead women in just three months – is it the work of a serial killer?” BILD asked in June 2023. At that time, a series of brutal crimes terrified the US state of Oregon. Jesse Lee Calhoun, the alleged perpetrator, will soon be in court. The 41-year-old is accused of five counts of second-degree murder (equivalent to manslaughter under German law) and four counts of desecration of a corpse.

As BILD reportedthe eerie series began on February 19, 2023, when Kristin Smith († 22) was found dead in a wooded area in southeast Portland. On April 8th, the body of JoAnna Speaks (†32) turned up in a barn. The lifeless Charity Perry (†24) was discovered on April 24th. On the same day, another body was found: a woman, who has not yet been identified, was lying less than five kilometers from the first victim. On April 30th, passers-by found Bridget Webster (†31), and at the beginning of May the remains of Ashley Real (†22) appeared.

This is what the American faces if he is convicted

Calhoun has now been charged with the murder of the five named women. According to his lawyer, he has pleaded not guilty. The 41-year-old has several previous convictions (including car theft and attempted Murder on a police dog) and spent a longer time in prison for it. During this time, Jesse helped Lee Calhoun as a volunteer Firefighter In 2020 he fought forest fires, which is why his sentence was reduced. If he is convicted of the current allegations, the American could face life in prison. The death penalty is suspended in Oregon. When the process begins is not yet known.

There was a hearing last week. Relatives of those killed were also there Courtroom. Masciell Real, Ashley Real’s sister, told US media: “Seeing him today and knowing that he is now behind bars takes a huge weight off my shoulders. It’s reassuring to know that he is no longer out there and can no longer harm another woman.” Melissa Smith, Kristin Smith’s mother, said: “We have all experienced the worst thing that can happen to you and it is incredibly difficult to watch another family suffer the same way we did.”