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The Washington County Sheriff’s Office held a press conference today to provide an update on the Otis Lane homicide investigation.
Sheriff Caprice Massey acknowledged the profound impact of the tragedy on the community and the families of the five victims: Mary, Rowan, Stella, Linsey, and Alvin.
Although the suspect is deceased, the investigation continues. Evidence processing, laboratory analysis, and timeline reconstruction will take months. The Sheriff’s Office remains committed to providing the families with answers as information becomes available.
Photographs of Mary Kimsey, Rowan Kimsey, Stella Kimsey, and Linsey Haraldsen are available. Linsey Haraldsen’s and Alvin Chu’s families request no media contact or interviews. The Chu family requested that no photograph be released.
The Kimsey family provided the following statement:
“Mary was a peaceful, loving, caring, and generous spiritual matriarch—a devoted mother and grandmother, and a progressive activist who dedicated her life to caring for people, nature, and the Earth, whose love and kindness were at the heart of our entire family.”
Sheriff Massey recognized the work of Sheriff’s Office personnel and partner agencies who assisted in the investigation:
• Patrol Deputies
• Detectives
• Forensics
• Property and Evidence
• Incident Management Team
• Remotely Operated Vehicle Team
• Crash Analysis Reconstruction Team
• Search and Rescue
• Tactical Negotiations Team
• Washington County Major Crimes Team
• Forest Grove Fire Department
• Forest Grove Police Department
• Beaverton Police Department
• Cornelius Police Department
• Hillsboro Police Department
• Tigard Police Department
• Portland Police Bureau
• Washington State Police
• Enumclaw, Washington Police Department
• Kingston, Rhode Island Police Department
• Upper Merion, Pennsylvania Police Department
• Federal Bureau of Investigations
• Oregon State Police Forensic Services Division
• Washington County District Attorney’s Office
• Washington County Medical Examiner’s Office
• Washington County Animal Services
• Washington County Consolidated Communications Agency
• Washington County Digital Forensic Lab
• American Medical Response
• Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue
• Western States Information Network - Oregon Watch Center
As we share details today in the interest of transparency, we keep the profound loss of Mary, Rowan, Stella, Linsey, and Alvin at the center.
Anyone with information is asked to call non-emergency dispatch at 503-629-0111 and reference case number 50-26-11866.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office has identified the decedents from the homicide investigation at 47350 NW Otis Ln.
• Mary Elizabeth Kimsey, 85, of Portland
• Rowan Karla Kimsey, 60, of Forest Grove
• Stella Jade Kimsey, 26, of Forest Grove
• Linsey Mae Haraldsen, 26, of Portland
• Alvin Raymond Chu, 27, of Portland
Mary was Rowan’s mother and Stella’s grandmother. Linsey was Stella’s best friend and Alvin was Linsey’s partner. Rowan owned and lived at the property. Stella also lived there with her boyfriend, Benjamin Parker, the suspect in this case.
In addition, two cats and two dogs on the property were found deceased. One additional cat was found injured and transported to a veterinarian for treatment, but it was later euthanized due to the extent of its injuries. Livestock on the property have since been rehomed.
The next-of-kin of the decedents have been notified.
Sheriff’s Office detectives identified 36-year-old Benjamin Charles Parker as the suspect in the homicide investigation at 47350 NW Otis Lane. Through their investigation, they believed that Parker was in Enumclaw, WA. Officers from the Enumclaw Police Department located Parker’s vehicle and found him deceased inside. It is believed he died by suicide.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office does not believe there is any danger to the public. The investigation is ongoing.
On Saturday, August 22, 2026, at 5:27 a.m., Washington County Sheriff’s Office (Sheriff’s Office) deputies responded to assist the Forest Grove Fire Department at 47350 NW Otis Ln in unincorporated Washington County outside of Forest Grove after a 911 caller reported a vehicle fire in the area.
Fire personnel at the scene discovered human remains and requested deputies to respond. Subsequently, responders found a total of five people deceased, along with several domestic animals.
Sheriff’s Office detectives, with the help of the Washington County Major Crimes Team (MCT), are conducting the investigation. MCT is an inter-agency team comprised of detectives from law enforcement agencies within Washington County.
The Oregon State Police Crime Lab Forensics responded to process the scene, along with members from the Sheriff’s Office Forensics and Property & Evidence.
The investigation has been supported by the Sheriff’s Office Remotely Operated Vehicle Team, Crash Analysis Reconstruction Team, Search and Rescue, and Tactical Negotiations Team.
The Sheriff's Office would like to thank the following agencies for their assistance during the investigation:
- Forest Grove Fire Department
- Forest Grove Police Department
- Beaverton Police Department
- Cornelius Police Department
- Hillsboro Police Department
- Tigard Police Department
- Oregon State Police Crime Lab
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms
- Washington County Animal Services
- Washington Medical Examiner’s Office
- Washington County Digital Forensics Lab
- American Medical Response
- Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue
No arrests have been made, and detectives do not believe this was a random act of violence. The Sheriff’s Office is seeking tips from the public. Anyone with information about the residents of the property or their associates are asked to call non-emergency dispatch at 503-629-0111 and reference case number 50-26-11866.