A man suspected of murdering three women in the Portland area and abandoning their bodies has now been formally charged with a fourth homicide, officials announced on Tuesday.
At a press conference, Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez revealed that a grand jury has indicted Jesse Lee Calhoun in connection with the death of 22-year-old Kristin Smith, whose remains were discovered in November 2022. The new charges, second-degree murder and abuse of a corpse, come roughly two and a half years after her body was found.
Calhoun had already faced similar charges for the deaths of Charity Perry, 24, Bridget Webster, 31, and Joanna Speaks, 32. He pleaded not guilty to all previous counts of second-degree murder and abuse of a corpse.
“The indictment is a very important and visible step as we seek justice for these victims,” DA Vasquez said during an emotional press conference.
Portland area suspect Jesse Lee Calhoun charged with fourth homicide as authorities investigate deaths of women whose bodies were abandoned in remote locations. (iStock)
The case of Ashley Rial, another woman allegedly linked to Calhoun, remains under investigation, according to officials. No charges have been filed yet in connection to her death.
When asked whether Calhoun’s case qualifies as serial killing, Vasquez stopped short of applying the label.
“We focus on the victims. These were murders of young women with massive impact,” he said.
Calhoun was taken into custody in June 2023 due to unrelated parole violations. He was indicted in May 2024, just before he was scheduled to be released from state prison. He had been reincarcerated in 2023 to complete a four-year sentence for offenses including assaulting a police officer, attempting to strangle a police dog, burglary, and more.
He had previously been released in 2021, a year ahead of schedule, due to his participation in a wildfire firefighting program in 2020. That early release was later rescinded by Gov. Tina Kotek in 2023 after Calhoun became a suspect in the homicide investigations.
Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com
