CONTENT WARNING – This article discusses domestic violence and suicide. Resources are available, seek help in our mental health resource guide or contact the Clackamas County 24-hour crisis line at 503-655-8616 or call Natl. Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 if you or a loved one is a victim of domestic violence. | MORE RESOURCES
HAPPY VALLEY, Ore. (KATU) — The three people who were found shot to death Tuesday in a Happy Valley home have been identified as a son, a mother and a grandmother.
The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement Thursday during a news conference, a day after the family’s murder suspect was found dead at a motel near the Oregon coast.
The victims were identified as Katie Kinder, 47, Evan Kinder, 15, and Patricia Campbell, 78.
“There are no words strong enough to describe the pain, grief and devastation we feel. This is not just about three lives lost. This was our family, our loved ones and an irreplaceable part of our lives,” family members said in a statement, released in full below.
FAMILY ASSISTANCE CHECKS
Happy Valley police said they first received a call for a welfare check Monday when Katie Kinder failed to arrive at work.
They went to the home Katie shared with her son Evan, her mother Patricia and her boyfriend Edward “Ed” Villa, 45. They tried to contact someone at the home, but no one answered. They also tried to contact her emergency contact – Patricia – but those calls went unanswered.
Officers did not report seeing anything suspicious, and neighbors told police they had not seen anyone in the house for a few days.
READ MORE | ‘I’m too emotional’: Neighbor struggles after Happy Valley triple homicide
When Katie hadn’t yet arrived at work on Tuesday, co-workers went to her house and came in to check on her.
Once inside, they called Happy Valley police, who confirmed that Katie, Patricia and Evan were deceased. Authorities deemed their deaths suspicious.
THE SUSPECT FOLLOWED AT THE MOTEL
Investigators obtained a warrant for Villa’s arrest on three counts of first-degree murder, and law enforcement agencies across the state were asked to search for him.
Warrenton police said they found Villa’s vehicle at a motel in Hammond, Oregon. The U.S. Marshal Service’s Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force surrounded the motel and told Villa to surrender. However, they say he committed suicide, the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office said.
PAST COVERAGE | “Happy Valley triple homicide suspect found dead at motel in Hammond, Oregon”.
“Shortly after arriving on scene, the U.S. Marshal’s task force heard what they believed to be a single gunshot in Mr. Villa’s bedroom,” detectives said.
Full family statement:
Our family is living a nightmare that no family should ever have to experience. In a heartbreaking tragedy, we lost three beautiful people: my mother, my sister and my nephew.
There are no words strong enough to describe the pain, sorrow and devastation we feel. It’s not just three lives lost. They were our family, our loved ones and an irreplaceable part of our lives.
My mother was not only an incredible mother, but also an extraordinary grandmother. Her love for her family was unconditional and she had a special way of making everyone around her feel loved and cared for. He was someone we could always count on, someone whose love and presence helped keep our family together. The memories she created with her children and grandchildren will forever be treasured.
My sister was a loving aunt who brought joy, laughter and happiness to those around her. She had so much love to give and so much more life to live. His presence brought something special to our family, and the void left by his passing is something that words cannot describe.
My nephew was far too young to discover who he was going to become. He had his whole life ahead of him – a life of dreams to chase, milestones to achieve, adventures to experience, and memories to create. We will never see the person he would have become, and that is a heartbreak beyond words. His life, short as it was, was precious, meaningful and deeply loved.
Our hearts are broken knowing that there will always be empty chairs at family gatherings, birthdays we will never celebrate together, holidays that will never be the same, and countless memories we will never have the opportunity to create.
The pain of losing a family member is unimaginable. Losing three at once is something no family should ever have to endure.
But we don’t want this tragedy to define who they were.
We want to be remembered for the love they gave, the happiness they brought into our lives, and the beautiful memories they leave behind. They were so much more than this heartbreaking loss, and their lives deserve to be remembered for all the good they brought to this world.
As we face the difficult days ahead, we ask our community to keep our family in their thoughts and prayers. We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love, kindness, compassion and support during this incredibly painful time.
We also respectfully ask for privacy as we grieve and begin the difficult journey of learning to move forward with such an unimaginable loss.
Three beautiful lives are gone, but the love they gave us will never disappear. Their memories will forever live in our hearts, their names will never be forgotten and their absence will be felt every day for the rest of our lives.
We love them. We miss them. And we will always carry them with us.
Gn usa
