PORTLAND - One of Oregon s most notorious serial killers has been linked by investigators to three cold case murders.
Years ago, Woodfield was linked to dozens of crimes along the I-5 corridor in Washington, Oregon and California, including rapes and murders from the mid 1970s to the early 80s. He is serving a life sentence at the state penitentiary in Salem for the murder of Shari Hull. He was never prosecuted for the other crimes. Unable to afford an endless string of trials, the State of Oregon was satisfied with Woodfield's life sentence.
Police now believe that Randall Woodfield, dubbed the I-5 Killer, also murdered three people in the Portland area during the late 1970s and early1980s.
New technology made the case-busters possible, said Sgt. Paul Weatheroy, head of the Portland Cold Case Squad.
Woodfield s DNA sample matched up with evidence in the murders of Darcey Renee Fix and Douglas Keith Altig who were found dead in their North Portland home in 1980. He s also now believed to have killed Julie Reitz, a Beaverton woman who was sexually assaulted and murdered in 1981.
I didn't need DNA evidence to put the two together, said Reitz's mother, Candee Wilson. I'm not alone in this and that ironically is what gives me comfort. If I was the only one, I think that would feel a lot better or a lot worse, but knowing there are other people you grieve for them as much as you do for your own child.
Though Woodfield has now been tied to these additional murders, he will not be prosecuted for them as it would bring no increase in his sentence.
Investigators said, however, were he to ever come up for parole, the latest murders would be presented before the board.
We believe that, and I will use the word - extremely - remote possibilty that Randy Woodfield would even be granted a parole board hearing, Rod Underhill, with the Multnomah County D.A.'s office said.
More:Cold case murders
KGWReporter Kyle Iboshi contributed to this report
