Police in Washington state found a 36-year-old suspect dead Sunday inside his vehicle, one day after emergency crews responding to a vehicle fire discovered five dead people and several domestic animals at a rural Oregon property, authorities said.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office identified Benjamin Charles Parker as the suspect in what authorities are investigating as a quintuple homicide.
Officers with the Enumclaw Police Department located Parker’s vehicle in Enumclaw, Washington, and found him dead inside. Investigators believe Parker died by suicide, the sheriff’s office said. Authorities said they do not believe there is any continuing danger to the public.
Five Found Dead After Vehicle Fire Call
Washington County deputies responded at 5:27 a.m. on August 22 to assist the Forest Grove Fire Department at a property in unincorporated Washington County outside Forest Grove after a 911 caller reported a vehicle fire. Fire personnel discovered human remains, prompting deputies to respond. Authorities ultimately found five people dead along with several domestic animals.
Detectives said the deaths did not appear to result from a random act of violence. As of early Monday, authorities had not publicly disclosed the victims’ names, ages or genders, their causes of death, the exact nature of Parker’s relationship to them, a motive, or what type of animals were found.
Massey addressed the complexity of the case during a Sunday news conference.
“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,” Massey said.
The Washington County Major Crimes Team is assisting sheriff’s detectives. The Oregon State Police Crime Lab, Washington County Medical Examiner’s Office, Washington County Animal Services and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are among the agencies that have assisted.
The sheriff’s office said Sunday that the investigation remained active and asked anyone with information about the property’s residents or their associates to contact non-emergency dispatch at 503-629-0111 and reference case No. 50-26-11866.
Provided by Dallas Express
