WILSONVILLE, Ore. — Oregon State Police are investigating a homicide after a man's body was found lying on the side of Interstate 5 near Wilsonville early Wednesday morning.
Oscar Lizard Chaidez, 42, was a loving father of three and a well-known DJ from Salem. When police first found him early Wednesday morning, they thought he may have been hit by a car. But after further investigation, they now believe he was murdered.
Chaidez was known throughout the hip-hop scene in Oregon and California as DJ Ozroc.
“DJ Ozroc was just a turntable wizard, and he would just incorporate his scratches and cuts into funk,” said Chaidez's close friend, Michael, also known as DJ My-G. "He made people move, dance and just have a good time.”
Michael said he was looking forward to seeing him at Wicked Wednesdays, where Oscar was a regular DJ. But when he arrived, he got the news Chaidez had been killed.
“I wasn’t expecting to hear that," said Michael. “It’s shocking to the community because he was never involved in any nefarious activity. He was always just a forward, progressive, productive human.”
His friends said they are heartbroken he was killed in such cold way and are pleading with the public for answers.
“It really makes you question the world in general," said Mariana Hagadorn, another close friend to Chaidez. “For me, I just hope justice is served, and we can bring his family some sort of closure.”
Oregon State Police are still looking into what happened to Chaidez in the moments before his death.
He was found lying dead on the right shoulder of the southbound side of the freeway near the exit 282 off-ramp for the Charbonneau community. The body was initially reported to police at around 5:45 a.m. and was described as having been possibly struck by a vehicle, according to a news release from Oregon State Police.
Troopers arrived at the scene and identified the man as 42-year-old Oscar Lizardo Chaidez from Salem. Subsequent investigations by state police and the Clackamas County Medical Examiner's Office prompted police to conclude that the man had been a victim of homicide, according to the OSP news release.
The OSP news release did not include any further information about the circumstances of the death, or whether police still believe the victim was struck by a vehicle.
"Oscar was only 42 years old and leaves behind a heartbroken Lucy (his wife) and their three young sons," friends of Chaidez shared on GoFundMe.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Oregon State Police dispatch at 1-800-452-7888 or by dialing *OSP (*677) and reference case number SP24168806.
More Than A Number aims to help give a face and a voice to victims and families impacted by tragedies. If you or someone you know has been the victim of a homicide and would like to share your story, you can reach out to us by sending an email to morethananumber@kgw.com.
This is a developing story and will be updated if more information becomes available.