Oregon Clemency Recipient Accused of Multiple Murders After Attempted Dog Strangulation
An Oregon man is suspected of killing three people in April 2023 after being awarded mercy, which released him from prison following many earlier convictions, including one for attempting to strangle a dog.
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office stated on Friday, May 17, that Jesse Lee Calhoun has been charged with three counts of murder in the deaths of Charity Lynn Perry, 24, Bridget Leanne Webster, 31, and Joanna Speaks, 32.
The ladies were discovered dead “under suspicious circumstances” in various locations of Washington State and Oregon in April 2023, according to police.
Speaks was discovered dead near an abandoned barn in Ridgefield, Wash., on April 9, and a medical examiner confirmed that her death was caused by blunt force trauma to her head and neck, according to KOIN in November, citing the Portland Police Bureau and the Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Later that month, on April 24, Perry was discovered dead in Ainsworth State Park in Oregon under mysterious circumstances, but authorities did not release any further information.
Days later, on April 30, Webster was discovered dead under “suspicious circumstances” outside a park in Polk County, Oregon, according to KOIN and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. According to KOIN and the Associated Press, Calhoun was released from prison in July 2021 after being given mercy.
He was serving a four-year sentence after being convicted of assaulting a police officer, attempting to strangle a police dog, and burglary, among other offenses, according to the Associated Press. He was returned to a correctional facility in June 2023 for allegedly violating his parole.
His clemency was revoked in July 2023 because of allegations that he was “involved in criminal activity currently under investigation,” according to Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt.
According to KOIN, authorities identified a person of interest in the killings of the three ladies in July. Investigators did not immediately identify him, but KOIN recognized Calhoun as the person of interest.
Calhoun was in jail at an Oregon correctional institution at the time of his murder indictment and was awaiting transfer to Multnomah County custody, according to the DA’s office statement. Calhoun is currently charged with three charges of second-degree murder and three counts of corpse abuse, according to a statement from the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office.
PEOPLE earlier reported that he had been at the Oregon penitentiary prison since July 2023, citing jail records.
It was unclear whether he had entered pleas or hired an attorney to speak on his behalf.
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