FOREST GROVE, Ore.—The bodies of five people were found on a rural property outside Portland and authorities said Sunday it was being investigated as a quintuple homicide.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office said authorities initially responded early Saturday to reports of a vehicle fire at a property in Forest Grove, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) west of downtown Portland. Responders then found the remains of five people and “several domestic animals.”
Detectives do not believe it was a random act of violence, authorities said, without sharing much detail. No arrests have been made and no one was in custody.
They did not disclose the ages or genders of the people found, how they died or what possible connections they might have with one another. The type of animals found dead also was not specified.
At a news conference Sunday afternoon, Detective Shannon Wilde with the sheriff’s office said they were still working to determine who the victims were.
“Any time you have one person deceased, let alone five, that’s a logistical challenge,” Wilde said, noting the complexity of the investigation and the large crime scene.
When asked by reporters about the amount of time that passed between authorities first discovering the dead bodies and releasing information the following afternoon, Wilde said authorities were trying to identify the victims and notify their next of kin before holding a news conference while also working on a “very active investigation with a lot of moving pieces.” Authorities wanted to ensure they released accurate information in a responsible way, she said.
Sheriff Caprice Massey urged anyone who is familiar with the property or the people who live there to share any information they may have.
“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.
