A day after five people were found dead on a rural property outside Forest Grove, Oregon, authorities identified a 36-year-old man as the homicide suspect and found him dead inside a vehicle in Enumclaw, Washington.
A man suspected in the deaths of five people found at a rural property outside Forest Grove was found dead Sunday in Enumclaw, Washington, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators identified the suspect as 36-year-old Benjamin Charles Parker. Authorities believe Parker died by suicide. The sheriff’s office said there is no ongoing danger to the public.
The case began Saturday morning at a property on NW Otis Lane, in unincorporated Washington County outside Forest Grove. At about 5:27 a.m., deputies were called to assist the Forest Grove Fire Department after a 911 caller reported a vehicle fire.
Firefighters at the scene discovered human remains and requested law enforcement assistance. Investigators subsequently found five people dead, along with several domestic animals, according to the sheriff’s office.
The victims have not yet been publicly identified. Authorities have also not released their ages, genders or causes of death.
Suspect Located in Enumclaw
Washington County sheriff’s detectives determined that Parker may be in Enumclaw, Washington, and contacted local authorities there.
Officers with the Enumclaw Police Department located Parker’s vehicle and found him deceased inside. The vehicle was found behind a Safeway store, according to authorities.
Investigators have not publicly explained all of the circumstances that led them to Parker. Sheriff Caprice Massey said Parker knew the victims, but authorities have not disclosed the nature of those relationships.
The sheriff’s office has also not announced a possible motive.
Investigation Remains Ongoing
Detective Shannon Wilde said Sunday that identifying the victims and notifying their next of kin were among the reasons authorities waited before releasing more information about the deaths.
Wilde described the investigation as complex, with a large crime scene and multiple moving parts. Investigators are continuing to determine exactly what happened at the property and establish the identities and circumstances surrounding the five deaths.
Sheriff Massey said the scene was unlike anything she had encountered during her 22 years with the agency.
Authorities are asking anyone who may have information about the property, its residents or the people connected to the case to contact investigators.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation remains active, but there is no known threat to the public.
Sources: Washington County Sheriff’s Office; Associated Press.
