Police believe an Oregon man died by suicide after they tracked him to a hotel following the discovery of his girlfriend, her teenage son and her mother dead inside their home.
Edward Villa, 45, was suspected of killing Patricia Campbell, 78; her 47-year-old daughter, Katie Kinder; and her 15-year-old grandson, Evan Kinder. The three were found at a $623,000 property on Southeast Highpointe Street in the affluent Oregon community of Happy Valley.
The deaths are believed to have occurred sometime between Sunday evening and the early hours of Monday, although investigators were still working to establish a precise timeline.
Authorities located Villa, who was Katie’s boyfriend, at the South Jetty Inn in Hammond, a town just over 100 miles northwest of Happy Valley.
Several law enforcement agencies, including the US Marshals Task Force, went to the hotel to take him into custody.
Marshals surrounded the building and attempted to speak with Villa. They eventually heard what appeared to be a single gunshot coming from his room.
Officers entered the room and found Villa dead.
Katie Kinder, 47, and her 15-year-old son Evan Kinder were found dead at her mother’s home in Happy Valley, Oregon
Patricia Campbell, 78, Evan’s grandmother, was also found dead inside the property
Edward Villa, 45, Katie Kinder’s boyfriend, was suspected in the killings and is believed to have died by suicide after police found him in a hotel room
The three victims were discovered after repeated attempts to contact Katie failed. Concern grew when she did not report for work on Monday.
Her coworkers contacted Happy Valley police, but officials were unable to reach either Katie or Campbell during several attempted welfare checks.
When Katie failed to appear at work again, her employer contacted authorities the following day.
Police then contacted relatives who lived outside the state and learned that Katie shared the home with her boyfriend, Villa.
Her coworkers later went to the property and “gained access,” according to the sheriff’s office.
They requested police assistance, and officers who responded found the bodies of the three victims inside.
An investigation began after authorities determined that the deaths “appeared to be suspicious in nature.”
As detectives investigated, they learned that Villa, an employee of the North Clackamas School District, had also failed to report to work on Monday or Tuesday.
The sheriff’s office said Villa had been in the coastal town of Warrenton at around 11 a.m. Tuesday.
Investigators later established probable cause to believe Villa was responsible for the deaths. An arrest warrant charging him with three counts of first-degree murder was issued.
Campbell’s family said that she was an ‘incredible mom’ and ‘amazing grandmother’ who ‘had a special way of making everyone around her feel loved and cared for’
The grandmother, her daughter and grandson were discovered dead inside a home on the 13000 block of Southeast Highpointe Street of Happy Valley
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On Wednesday, the Warrenton Police Department found Villa’s vehicle at the South Jetty Inn.
US Marshal officers surrounded the hotel around 1pm and tried to communicate with Villa.
Shortly afterwards, the gunshot went off and the Marshals found Villa dead inside his room.
Clackamas County Sheriff James Rhodes read a statement from the victims’ grieving family during a news conference on Thursday.
The family called what happened a ‘heartbreaking tragedy’ in which there were ‘no words strong enough to describe the pain, grief, and devastation we are feeling.’
Campbell was remembered as ‘not only an incredible mom, but also an amazing grandmother.’
‘She had a special way of making everyone around her feel loved and cared for,’ the statement continued.
Katie was honored as a ‘loving aunt who brought joy, laughter, and happiness to those around her.’
The family lamented how Evan ‘had his entire life ahead of him, a lifetime of dreams to chase, milestones to reach, adventures to experience, and memories to create.’
‘We will never get to see the person he would have grown into,’ the family said. ‘And that is a heartbreak beyond words.’
Katie would often post loving pictures with her son Evan, 10th grade student at New Urban Online, on social media
Villa was tracked down to the South Jetty Inn (pictured) in Hammond, where authorities said he apparently took his life with a single gunshot
Rhodes said Villa is believed to have acted intentionally and that no one else was thought to be involved in the tragedy.
He added that no law enforcement officers had discharged their weapons while attempting to arrest Villa.
Clackamas County Sheriff’s Detective Matt Lysaght said authorities were ‘not ready’ to disclose how Villa was located before he took his life.
They confirmed a firearm was found in his hotel room, and added that evidence related to that would be released at a further time.
Villa posted a video on Facebook in February 2025 captioned ‘Family Time’ in which he showcased a range of firearms.
He had worked for the North Clackamas School District since 2007, most recently as a student and community engagement specialist.
The school district confirmed on Thursday that Evan was a 10th grade student at New Urban Online, OPB reported.
Katie, his mom, would often post pictures on social media smiling alongside her son.
Villa also had a son with an ex-wife, Tiffany Villa, who said her main concern was the child’s well-being, according to KPTV.
Our News Outlet has reached out to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office and the North Clackamas School District for further comment.
