Add as preferred on Google
A man accused of the serial killing of four women whose bodies were found in wooded and rural areas of Oregon has now been charged with a fifth murder.
Jesse Lee Calhoun (41) is facing a charge of second-degree murder following the death of 22-year-old Ashley Real. Her body was found in a pond in Eagle Creek, Clackamas County, in April 2023, following her disappearance the previous month.
Fifth Victim Reported That the Accused Had Assaulted and Strangled Her One Month Before She Was Murdered
A year earlier, in November 2022, Real had reported to the police that Calhoun had assaulted and strangled her.
Making the announcement, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office stated that Calhoun was arraigned yesterday following six days of proceedings. He was charged by a grand jury indictment and pleaded not guilty.
The District Attorney’s Office Plans to Consolidate All Five Murders for Trial
Prosecutors filed the latest allegations under a new case number, and Chief Deputy District Attorney Todd Jackson announced that they plan to consolidate all five murders for trial.
The new charges have prompted the cancellation of all previously scheduled court hearings, with Calhoun’s next court appearance scheduled for August.
The Accused Has Never Spent Any Time in Prison for the Murders
Calhoun has never spent any time in prison for the murders.
He was sentenced to four years in prison in 2019 for assaulting a public safety officer, the unauthorized use of a vehicle, and burglary.
However, his sentence was commuted by former Oregon Governor, Kate Brown, as one of 41 prisoners who were recognized for their work as firefighters during the 2020 wildfires.
That changed in 2023 after Tina Kotek was elected as governor and rescinded the commutation when investigators identified his potential link to the four women found in wooded and rural areas.
The other victims were Kristin Smith (22), of Gresham, whose remains were found in a wooded area in Southeast Portland in December 2022, Bridget Webster, found in 2022 near Mill Creek in northwest Polk County, Charity Lynn Perry (24), of Longview, who was found on April 24, 2023, near Ainsworth State Park in Multnomah County; and Joanna Speaks (32), who was found dead in an abandoned barn in Ridgefield, Clark County, in August 2025.
There aren’t any comments yet.