Portland, Oregon – A grand jury is set to hear testimony next week regarding the murder of Joanna Speaks, one of several women who were reported missing and found dead in the Portland area last year. Investigators believe that Speaks, 32, was killed in Portland but her body was discovered in Ridgefield, Washington with injuries to her head and neck.
Detectives have not made any arrests in the case, but last summer, law enforcement sources pointed to Jesse Calhoun as a person of interest in the deaths of multiple women whose bodies were located in wooded or secluded areas around Portland. Calhoun, who is currently incarcerated for other charges at Snake River Correctional Institution in eastern Oregon, has denied any involvement in the women’s deaths through messages sent to media outlets.
Calhoun is scheduled for release from prison in June, according to public records. Police have not publicly disclosed any connections between the cases of the women, but have noted that at least one person of interest could be tied to several victims, including Kristin Smith, Charity Perry, Bridget Webster, and Ashley Real.
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s office has not identified any person of interest in the ongoing investigation. The upcoming grand jury hearing may shed more light on the case, as authorities continue to work towards solving the murders of these women in the Portland area.