Portland, Oregon – Jesse Calhoun has been formally charged with the murder of three women in the Portland area, according to the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office. The announcement of the indictment came on Friday morning, following a grand jury’s decision to charge Calhoun with three counts of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree abuse of a corpse. The victims identified in the indictment are Charity Lynn Perry, Bridget Leanne Webster, and Joanna Speaks.
These three women were found deceased under suspicious circumstances in 2023, among two others, Kristin Smith and Ashley Real. Law enforcement agencies have linked a person of interest to at least four of the victims, with Calhoun being widely identified by multiple media outlets as the suspect. However, the police and district attorney’s office have not confirmed his identity.
Calhoun, who is currently incarcerated at the Snake River Correctional Institution in eastern Oregon on unrelated charges, was arrested in June 2023. The recent indictment marks the first formal charges filed against him in connection with the murders. Public records obtained by KGW show that Calhoun was previously scheduled for release from prison on June 7.
There had been anticipation surrounding a grand jury hearing regarding the murder of Joanna Speaks, with prosecutors reportedly seeking an indictment before Calhoun’s planned release. In a letter sent from prison last year, Calhoun denied the accusations against him, maintaining his innocence. The case remains ongoing, with updates to follow as more information becomes available.