A man suspected of killing five people in rural Oregon was found dead in a suspected suicide, local law enforcement officials said on Sunday. Benjamin Charles Parker, 36, was identified as the suspect by the Washington County, Oregon, sheriff’s office.
The five homicide victims were discovered on Saturday at a home in a rural community near Forest Grove, Oregon, approximately 30 miles outside Portland. Authorities had responded to a report of a vehicle fire at the location. An unspecified number of domesticated animals were also found deceased at the home.
Local police located Parker deceased in his vehicle in Enumclaw, Washington, about 45 miles outside Seattle. Officials believe he died by suicide. Detectives do not believe the killings were a random act of violence.
Washington County Sheriff Caprice Massey stated that she had not witnessed a scene of such complexity in her 22 years with the office. As of Monday, investigators were still working to determine the victims' identities and notify their next of kin, according to Sheriff's Office Detective Shannon Wilde.