PORTLAND, Ore — A wanted Portland man was arrested in Southern Oregon for the murder of Kathryn Muhlbach Friday afternoon, according to Portland Police Bureau.
Jose Antonio Caraballo, 43, had a warrant out for his arrest for murder in the second-degree. He was booked into the Jackson County Jail and will eventually be transferred to Multnomah County, police said.
His arrest comes after a nationwide manhunt for Caraballo for allegedly killing his girlfriend.
On December 9, PPB officers responded to a report of a body found in the Powell Butte Nature Park just after 3:15 p.m. Upon arrival officers confirmed that someone was dead at the scene. It was unclear where in the park the body was discovered.
Due to suspicious circumstances, officers initially called in PPB homicide detectives to investigate.
On December 12, the body was identified as 27-year-old Kathryn Muhlbach. She died by homicidal violence, according to the Medical Examiner.
Jennifer Keller, Muhlbach's sister, remembers her sister as strong and loving.
"We just couldn't get a hold of her which is not normal, so we had a feeling that something was wrong" said Keller. "It has been the worst experience my family has ever gone through."
Keller said her sister moved to Oregon from California in 2020 with Caraballo.
"She loved him so much and little by little we started to understand that their relationship might not be very healthy," said Keller. "We just never knew that it would lead to her death."
Muhlbach's family had started a Go-Fund-Me account to help the two young children Muhlbach left behind.
