Jesse Lee Calhoun has been charged with murder in connection with the deaths of Charity Lynn Perry, Bridget Leanne Webster and Joanna Speaks, authorities say
Multnomah County District Attorney; Clark Co. Sheriff’s Office; Multnomah County District Attorney
Bridget Leanne Webster (left), Joanna Speaks and Charity Perry
An Oregon man is accused of killing three women throughout April 2023 after being granted clemency, which got him out of prison following several previous convictions – including one for attempted strangulation of a dog.
Jesse Lee Calhoun is now charged with three counts of murder in connection with the deaths of Charity Lynn Perry, 24, Bridget Leanne Webster, 31, and Joanna Speaks, 32, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office announced Friday, May 17.
The women were found dead “under suspicious circumstances” in different parts of Washington state and Oregon throughout April 2023, according to police.
On April 9, Speaks was found dead near an abandoned barn in Ridgefield, Washington, and a medical examiner determined the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and neck, KOIN reported in November, citing the Portland Police Bureau and the Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Later that month, on April 24, Perry was found dead near Ainsworth State Park in Oregon under suspicious circumstances, but police did not provide further details, according to KOIN.
Days later, on April 30, Webster was found killed under “suspicious circumstances” near a park in Polk County, Oregon, KOIN reported, citing the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Related: Deaths of 4 women in 3 months are linked, officials in Oregon say
Oregon Department of Corrections via AP
Jesse Lee Calhoun
At the time of the murders, Calhoun was out of prison after receiving clemency in July 2021, for COIN and the Associated Press.
He was serving a four-year sentence after convictions for assaulting a police officer, attempting to strangle a police dog and robbery, among other crimes, according to the Associated Press.
He was sent back to a detention center in June 2023 for an alleged parole violation, according to KOIN and KATU.
His clemency was revoked in July 2023 because he was allegedly “involved in criminal activity currently under investigation,” Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt said, per KOIN.
Authorities said in July that they had a person of interest in the murders of the three women, for COIN. Investigators did not immediately identify him, but KOIN identified Calhoun as the person of interest.
At the time of his murder charges, Calhoun was in custody at a correctional center in Oregon and was awaiting transfer to Multnomah County custody, the prosecutor’s office said in its statement.
Related: Ore. Man accused of murders of three women who were found dead under ‘suspicious circumstances’
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Calhoun is currently charged with three counts of second-degree murder and three counts of abuse of a corpse, according to a release from the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office.
He has been at the Oregon Correctional Facility since July 2023, PEOPLE previously reported, citing arrest records.
It was not immediately clear whether he has filed appeals or hired an attorney to speak on his behalf.
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