Beats include crime and courts, city and county news and arts/entertainment. The state accused Lee of killing Williams in November 2018 at her home in Cove. And if they tell you that you have to send money to claim your prize, then you know its a scam! According to the sheriff's. 2019 Union County Weed List; 2020 May Election; 2020 UCED Business Summit; 2022 Business Assistance Grant; 2022 General Candidate Statements; . He declined to say how the three were killed or whether police think they were killed elsewhere and moved. 541.962.9500. Remember Social Security will NEVER call you and ask for your personal information! Gregory Alvin Cook, 42, was. Crime in Union County, Oregon is LOWER than the national average. What other crimes have occurred in Oregon in your lifetime? 7-8, 2017 April 9, 2017 Information on this page was obtained from the website of Union County Jail, which is public domain. Lees attorney Dean Gushwa, of Pendleton, filed to postpone the trial in January, which Judge Powers granted with no objections from District Attorney Kelsie McDaniel. racist or sexually-oriented language. Union County Oregon Sheriff Overview. Get more stories delivered right to your email. "They are being transported in as complete a condition as we can get them," he said. For months, local authorities and the FBI searched for possible leads into their disappearances. Back on 13 August 2021, a couple was attacked in their home in Salem, Oregon, by a masked assailant who broke in armed with a knife, the Marion County . Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Lee was hospitalized after suffering a stroke in January 2020 while in custody at the Union County Correctional Facility, La Grande. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The cost of the class is $75. At approximately 2:27 p.m. Law enforcement was summoned to the same business as the reporting party was describing three people wearing gloves and masks approaching the business. Telephone. More Info. LA GRANDE, Ore. (AP) An eastern Oregon man who was facing trial over the death of his wife has been sent to the state psychiatric hospital. DO NOT give them any information, simply hang up. Sign up for our Daily Headlines newsletter. person will not be tolerated. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. He was later sentenced to two life sentences without the possibility of parole. "Most of the Saturday night fun was bending noses." All public service counters are closed 4:30pm - 5pm Mon - Fri. Courtrooms shall continue to run until 5 pm or such time as the presiding judge deems appropriate. "We think we've got three people brutally murdered," he said at a news conference in La Grande on Monday morning. 8am - 12pm, 1pm-4:30pm Mon-Fri. Legal holidays. He is currently serving a life sentence in prison. Thomas Tracy. Union County has a total population of 26222 and was formed in 1864. Investigators believe he could be responsible for more than 40 murders. Eckstein, a childhood playmate of Johnston's, expressed relief that the killings "were just drug-related." A conviction of aggravated murder could bring the death penalty. Contact Us 704-283-3500 Send a Message. Law enforcement would like to thank the public for their assistance in the investigation. The court canceled the murder trial after Dr. Michael Saul Farris, a Portland-based psychiatrist, determined Lee was danger to himself or others because of a mental disorder and requires hospital care due to the dangerousness and the acuity of symptoms of the disorder, according to the judges order. Gloria Shafer, 47, said she sleeps with a 9 mm handgun under her pillow because of all the drug problems. Unfortunately there is nothing local law enforcement can do. He can also be contact by email at tbutcher@union-county.org. To contact Deputy Tad Butcher, the Marine Deputy, during the months of September-May call 541 -963-1017 to leave a message. Clear 1 Table Map Chart Dashboard More Table The state agreed not to seek the death penalty, Thompson said. LA GRANDE, Ore. (AP) An eastern Oregon man who was facing trial over the death of his wife has been sent to the state psychiatric hospital. BOND: $15000 #2 Communicating Threats #3 Injury To Personal Property. Success! Keep it Clean. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. We won't share it with anyone else. The suspects were taken to the Union County Jail by Deputies and lodged on the following charges: Ashtin Clay Romine (26) of Clarkston, WA. This class meets the requirement to get an Oregon Concealed Permit. A weekly note from our editor about the inner workings of the newsroom. Final data has undergone extensive quality assurance and editing procedures. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. Please understand this is a scam, the IRS would not call you about your taxes. Conspiracy to commit murder in Oregon carries a minimum sentence of seven-and-half years, and conviction for murder carries a minimum sentence of 25 years. Union County can be found in the central area of Oregon. An Oregon State Police Trooper was set up for a spike strip deployment and upon learning of the active shooting situation, he engaged the suspects and suspect vehicle by discharging his duty weapon as they came by his location. The county was named for the town of Union, which had been established two years before and named by its founders for the "Union" of the states during the Civil War. As Sheriff we welcome you to Union County and all it has to offer citizens. Crime Mapping Tool; Economic Development; Events; Farmers Market; How Do I? "I think a triple homicide is evidence it is becoming a bigger problem.". The Union County Sheriffs Office, the La Grande Police Department, and the Oregon State Police are continuing their investigation into the initial burglary as well as the Officer Involved Shooting and more charges and arrests are anticipated. Upon arriving on the scene, law enforcement found an adult female deceased. -- Richard Cockle contributed to this report. The Sheriffs Office Scholarship Applications for 2023 are available! Would you like to receive our breaking news? Pre-registration is required and can be done by contacting Jo Housden at the Sheriff's Office at (541) 963-1017 ext. The scammers are not located in Union . Graduated June 2019 with a bachelors in Journalism from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, Our Search and Rescue Unit is a very active and highly trained organization of volunteer citizens, which we call on frequently to assist those in need. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. The La Grande Police Department at the request of the Oregon State Police, and in compliance with the Union County Deadly Force Plan will be conducting the Officer Involved Shooting Investigation. New data are added each year in late fall. Cook, also known as Gregory Alvin Mitts, pleaded guilty to all five charges. About Death Data Commissioners Meeting with Oregon Women Veterans Coordinator; Commissioners Statement on COVID-19; Commissioners Statement on COVID-19 as of April 15, 2020; An employee at the . Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. This is based off of the average number of violent crimes committed, compared to . Mason remains in the county jail on no bail. After he was suspected of stealing $50 from the company, he left his job as station manager. Gregory Alvin Cook. You have permission to edit this article. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism Apply Now. Records at the Union County Website: Union County Property Search [Current Assessment and Tax Information], n.d.-present. Hours for registration are Monday-Friday from 8-5. Witnesses also said that they saw her driving to the hospital at a speed of around 5 mph. accounts, the history behind an article. ", Given the level of drug use, a triple homicide "doesn't surprise me at all," said professional horseshoer Richard Porter, 65, of nearby Union, who stopped in Elgin on Monday afternoon. We have a fully functioning patrol staff to handle all varieties of emergency and non-emergency calls for service. //]]>, Under 2,000,000 ReadersEvery Day Since 2004. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Mason was at the scene and received aid from the Elgin Ambulance and La Grande Fire Department. NEVER give the caller any personal information. There was an error processing your request. The notorious I-5 Killer terrorized Interstate 5 between October 1980 and February 1981. UNION COUNTY 0 Mamas Genagretis, the man accused of murdering Deanna Badgley at their home on Robbs Hill Rd in Union County Monday, May 23rd, was arraigned in a Union County Courtroom today. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, Would you like to receive our news updates? -- Richard Cockle, rcockle@oregonwireless.net. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. Once the investigation is complete it will be turned over to the Union County District Attorneys Office for review and any further releases. On July 24, children playing at a pond south of the Elgin city limits found a human hand, evidence which led investigators to the remains of Shannon M. McKillop, 51. Union County Horizon. Union. Union County has a total area of 2,036 square miles. The County Commissioners feel that Law Enforcement is an important part of a safe, livable county and have supported our efforts by allowing us the funding needed to have well trained, equipped, and professional Deputies. Union County authorities arrested Gregory Alvin Cook, a 42-year-old house painter, in connection with a triple homicide near Elgin. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Thompson said police used dogs and a search and rescue crew Saturday to recover the bodies of Frank M. Scaramuzzi, 50, and Jeremiah H. Johnston, 28, in a densely wooded area along Darr Road, north of Elgin. OSP Troopers along with Union County Sheriff Deputies responded to a residence in unincorporated Union County. He also declined to speculate on a motive. that is degrading to another person. The beating began when the three men yelled at Seraw to move his car, and he refused. Keep your business strong with local news, Jury selection to begin July 7 for Ronald Lee trial, Murder defendant Lee in legal fight over sale of homicide victim's estate, Ronald Lee murder trial set for early January. Newest reporter to The Observer. Their bodies were found days later in a field. Be Proactive. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"81nAoiJxAC7UiVfHItG99EsOJZnlWuRb_yaLX8j61C4-1800-0"}; An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The sheriffs office detained Mason on Tuesday, Dec. 29, at approximately 3 a.m. following an initial investigation at his residence, 68381 Chumos Road, outside Elgin, where Williams also resided. On May 19, 1983, Diane Downs turned up at the McKenzie-Willamette Hospital in Springfield claiming that she had been carjacked and shot in the arm. Court records show Circuit Judge Thomas . Guide to Union County, Oregon ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records. Success! Police arrested Cook near Rainier, Wash., hours after Thompson told reporters that two more bodies had been discovered in the case. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. [CDATA[ and with Compassion and Valor to the citizens of Union County! Authorities believe all three murders are connected. You can now get your boat registration at the Sheriffs Office. Former reporter with the La Grande Observer and Union County native. Residents in Union County experience LOWER frequencies of violent crimes as compared to other counties in the United States. We'd love to hear eyewitness //