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:
- Letter: ‘The (Vancouver School) district ignored or broke numerous rules to enforce the governor’s emergency mask rule’
Brush Prairie resident Bill Eling outlines examples of Vancouver Public Schools’ ‘missteps’ in a lawsuit against a parent of a Skyview High School student. - Informed Choice Washington assists lawmakers with writing of companion billsInformed Choice Washington assists lawmakers with writing of companion bills. The intent of the bills is to make sure public health officials are not overextending their promotional messaging.
- New Heritage football coach in it for the long haulKevin Peterson, named the head coach, promises to bring stability to Heritage High School’s football program, hoping to remain with the program until the day he retires from teaching.
- Capital gains tax has its day in Washington’s highest courtLast March, Douglas County Superior Court Judge Brian Huber ruled the tax was “properly characterized as an income tax … rather than as an excise tax as argued by the State” and struck it down.
- Biden’s National Security Council met with CDC over COVID ‘disinfo’President Joe Biden’s National Security Council meetings with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about COVID-19 disinformation in 2021, according to documents obtained in an America First Legal lawsuit.
- Columbia Play Project board chair seeking to fill the void with a children’s museum in Clark CountyThe Columbia Play Project was officially started in October of 2020 after a nine-month delay due to the pandemic. The long-term goal (and third phase) of the organization is to build a permanent, brick and mortar children’s museum in Clark County. Photo courtesy Leah Anaya
- POLL: Do you support legislation that would lengthen the school year one week to address student learning loss during the COVID-19 pandemic?Do you support legislation that would lengthen the school year one week to address student learning loss during the COVID-19 pandemic?
