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Suspect in deaths of 5 found dead after cops uncover grim scene at rural property outside Portland
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A man suspected of killing five people in a rural area outside Portland, Oregon, was found dead inside a vehicle in Enumclaw, Washington, on Sunday in an apparent suicide, according to authorities.
Benjamin Charles Parker, 36, was identified as the suspect in a quintuple murder after the bodies of five dead people were discovered on Saturday at a home in a rural community near Forest Grove, Oregon, about 25 miles west of Portland.
“Through their investigation, they believed that Parker was in Enumclaw, WA. Officers from the Enumclaw Police Department located Parker’s vehicle and found him deceased inside. It is believed he died by suicide,” the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
The Enumclaw Police Department said that an unidentified was found dead behind a Safeway grocery store in connection with the Forest Grove investigation.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office said there is no known threat to the public.
It is unclear how investigators were led to Parker or what connection he had to the victims. Detectives have said they do not believe the killings were random, but authorities have not publicly described Parker’s alleged connection to the victims or a possible motive.
The sheriff’s office previously said it responded early Saturday to reports of a vehicle fire at a property in Forest Grove, where the remains of five people and “several domestic animals” were discovered.
Authorities have not released the ages or genders of the victims, how they died or what possible connections they might have with one another. The type of animals found dead at the property was also not disclosed.
Detective Shannon Wilde from the sheriff’s office said investigators were still working to determine the victims’ identities.
“Any time you have one person deceased, let alone five, that’s a logistical challenge,” Wilde said, emphasizing the complexity of the investigation and the large crime scene.
Sheriff Caprice Massey encouraged anyone who is familiar with the property or the people who live there to contact authorities with any information they may have.
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“I will say that in my 22 years here, I have not been a part of or witnessed a scene quite this complex involving this type of an investigation,” she said.
A dozen law enforcement agencies assisted in the investigation.
Authorities are continuing to investigate.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
