Victim has been identified as 55-year-old Melissa J. Stephan of Oregon City
The victim discovered in rural Camas on Oct. 9 has been identified as Melissa J. Stephan, 55, of Oregon City. The Clark County Medical Examiner’s office determined she died of a homicide from a gunshot wound to the head.
On Oct. 10, a person of interest in this case was found deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound at a hotel in Beaverton. She was identified as Ruby M. Stephan, 48, also of Oregon City.
Melissa and Ruby were married and had recently relocated to the area from Texas.
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit (MCU) has served multiple search warrants in this case and worked with detectives from the Beaverton Police Department. MCU detectives continue to work on this investigation and additional updates will be provided when available.
On Oct. 9, CCSO deputies responded to a vacant rural property near NE Winters Road and NE 86th Street in Camas for the report of a suspicious death.
Several people were viewing the large property with a real estate agent when they came across what they believed to be a deceased person and called 9-1-1. When deputies arrived, they located a deceased female who had what appeared to be a gunshot wound. Deputies called for the Major Crimes Unit (MCU) for a homicide investigation.
CCSO MCU responded to the scene, interviewed area residents, collected scene evidence, and continued the investigation. During their investigation, they identified a possible person of interest.
This is an active investigation being conducted by the Clark County Major Crimes Unit with the assistance of several police departments in Oregon.
Information provided by Clark County Sheriff’s Office.
Also read:
- Opinion: Were Republican voters just sleeping during the August primary election?
CCRP Chairman Matt Bumala says 60% of primary no-shows in the 17th and 18th districts were Republicans. - High school football: New coach prepares for long-term success at Prairie High School
James Young-Lewis, a Clark County native who graduated from Evergreen in 2009, became Prairie’s head coach in May after working as an assistant coach across various programs since 2015, joining Prairie’s staff in 2024. - Cost to battle 20 wildfires in WA has topped $200M
Twenty wildfires have cost Washington $207M in one month, more than two-thirds of what DNR spent all last fiscal year. - Opinion: WA Cares’ launch showcased care WA Cares did not provide
Gov. Ferguson showcased a caregiving arrangement at the WA Cares launch that the program had not paid for a single day of. - Former State Rep. Liz Pike provides update on husband Neil Cahoon
Neil Cahoon, a Camas resident, has undergone multiple surgeries including five on Aug. 15 after the Aug. 10 crash near La Center’s Daybreak Airport. - Opinion: Portland’s War on Cars Part 4 – A smarter automobile strategy to end gridlock
O’Toole argues fuel wasted in Portland-area congestion has sextupled since 1982, generating 250,000 tons of extra greenhouse gases annually. - $1,000 first prize for Camas Plein Air Art Event honoring Marquita Call on Sept. 26
Plein air artists compete Sept. 26 in Camas for $1,000 first prize honoring gallery founder Marquita Call.
