Cops say they believe an Oregon man killed himself when they tracked him down in a hotel after his girlfriend, her son and her mother were all found dead at their home.
Edward Villa, 45, is suspected of killing Patricia Campbell, 78, her 47-year-old daughter Katie Kinder and her 15-year-old grandson Evan Kinder at a $623,000 house on Southeast Highpointe Street in the affluent town of Happy Valley.
The murders are believed to have happened between Sunday evening and early Monday, though a more concrete timeline is still being established.
Authorities tracked Villa, Katie's boyfriend, down to the South Jetty Inn in Hammond, slightly more than 100 miles northwest of Happy Valley.
Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the US Marshals Task Force, attended in a bid to arrest Villa.
Marshals surrounded the hotel and tried to make verbal contact with him, only to eventually hear what they thought was a single gunshot inside Villa's room.
They entered and found him 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, the boy's grandmother, was also found dead in the property
Edward Villa, 45, Katie Kinder's boyfriend, who was suspected of committing the murders, is believed to have killed himself after cops tracked him down in a hotel room
The three victims were found after several failed attempts to reach Katie, after concerns were raised when she did not show up to work on Monday.
Her coworkers contacted Happy Valley police and officials could not reach her or Campbell throughout repeated attempts to conduct welfare checks.
Authorities said Katie's employer called back a day later when she did not show up again.
Police officers reached out to members of Katie's family who lived out of state and learned she lived at the home with her boyfriend Villa.
Her coworkers eventually went to her home and 'gained access to it,' the sheriff's office said.
Officers were requested at the scene, which is when they responded and found the three victims.
An investigation was launched when authorities realized the deaths 'appeared to be suspicious in nature.'
During the probe, detectives learned that Villa, a North Clackamas School District employee, had also not shown up to work on Monday and Tuesday.
The sheriff's office said Villa had been in the coastal town of Warrenton at about 11.00am on Tuesday.
Investigators subsequently established probable cause for Villa causing the deaths, and an arrest warrant for 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
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.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office and the North Clackamas School District for further comment.
Source link
