Oregon quintuple homicide suspect found dead by suicide in Enumclaw

Authorities in Enumclaw found the man suspected in a quintuple homicide in Oregon dead inside a pickup truck.

The suspect, 36-year-old Benjamin Charles Parker, was found Sunday after police tracked his vehicle using license-plate-reading cameras. According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Parker died by suicide. Investigators are still working to identify the five victims and determine a motive.

Noah Moses, a local witness, told KIRO 7 he saw police swarm a pickup truck with Oregon plates on a street outside his home.

“They all started piling in, guns drawn, ARs out, and they started busting out riot shields and trying to slowly approach the vehicle,” he said.

Parker is suspected of killing five people Saturday, whose bodies were discovered on rural property in Forest Grove, Oregon, approximately 30 miles west of Portland. Firefighters were initially called to respond to a vehicle fire at 5 a.m. Saturday near the home on NW Otis Lane. When they arrived, they reported suspicious circumstances to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

“The remains of five people were discovered, as well as multiple deceased domesticated animals,” Washington County Detective Shannon Wilde said.

Public records connect Parker to the property, but his relationship to the victims is unknown as of this reporting. Detectives are currently working to determine a motive for the killings.

“We’re still actually working to determine who the people are and what their connection may be,” Wilde added. “While they were on scene, they discovered human remains, and they called for law enforcement to come take over the investigation.”

Investigators have yet to identify the five Oregon residents who were killed.

“I recognize that this incident is deeply concerning to our community,” Washington County Sheriff Caprice Massey said. “Our investigators are working to determine what happened, and we have dedicated every available resource to this case.”

Massey told KATU 2 she has never seen a scene “this complex.”

“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 during a press conference. “And I’m just going to lead in and say that I recognize that this incident is deeply concerning to our community. Our investigators are working to determine what happened, and we have dedicated every available resource to this case.”

Anyone with additional information about the slain residents is asked to call non-emergency dispatch at (503) 629-0111.

This is a developing story, check back for updates

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