WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ore. — A homicide investigation is underway after firefighters responding to a vehicle fire at a rural Oregon property discovered the bodies of five people and four animals, leading authorities to identify a suspect who was later found dead nearly 200 miles away.
Firefighters were called to the property on NW Otis Lane at approximately 5:27 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, after receiving reports of a vehicle fire. The property is located about 25 miles west of Portland.
According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, responders discovered human remains after arriving at the scene and quickly alerted law enforcement.
The investigation grew into a complex homicide case as detectives worked to determine what had happened at the isolated property.
Five People and Four Animals Found Dead
Investigators found the bodies of five people, two dogs and two cats at the property, according to authorities and reports. Another cat was discovered alive but injured. The animal was transported to a nearby animal hospital for treatment.
Police have not released the ages or genders of the five people found at the property.
Detective Shannon Wilde explained during a Sunday, Aug. 23, news conference that investigators needed additional time before providing more information publicly. The delay allowed authorities to work on identifying the victims and notifying their families.
Wilde also described the property as a large scene in a rural area with extensive vegetation, adding to the challenges investigators faced while processing the location.
Suspect Found Dead in Washington
As detectives investigated the deaths, they identified Benjamin Charles Parker, 36, as the suspect in the homicide investigation. Authorities believed Parker had traveled from Oregon to Enumclaw, Washington, a city nearly 200 miles away from the property.
According to a statement from Enumclaw police, officers located Parker’s vehicle near a Safeway store the following day. Parker was found deceased inside the vehicle.
Investigators believe he died by suicide. The area behind the Safeway remained an active investigation while the medical examiner conducted its work.
The discovery brought another grim development to an investigation that had begun less than 24 hours earlier at the rural Oregon property.
Police Say Attack Was Not Random
Washington County Sheriff Caprice Massey said investigators do not believe the suspected homicides were random.
Authorities believe Parker was known to the people found at the property, although police have not publicly disclosed the nature of those relationships or provided a possible motive.
Massey emphasized the unusual complexity of the investigation, saying she had not encountered a scene quite like it during her more than two decades with the sheriff’s office.
“I will say that in my 22 years here, I have not been a part of or witnessed a scene quite this complex involving this type of an investigation,” Massey said.
Investigators are continuing to examine evidence from the property as they work to reconstruct what happened.
Autopsies Planned as Investigation Continues
State medical examiners are expected to conduct autopsies on the five victims as investigators work to establish the circumstances and causes of their deaths.
Authorities have not released additional identifying information about the victims while their families are being notified.
Massey is also asking anyone who may have information about the property, the people who lived there or events leading up to the discovery to contact the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
“There are no details too small,” she said.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are expected to provide additional information as detectives confirm more details.
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