PORTLAND, Ore. — A Multnomah County grand jury is expected to hear testimony next week surrounding the murder of Joanna Speaks, one of at least five women who went missing and turned up dead across the Portland area last year.
Detectives believe Speaks, 32, was killed in Portland, although her body was found in an abandoned barn in Ridgefield, Washington on April 8, 2023. She died of blunt head and neck injuries, according to the Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office. No arrests have been made in the case.
Last summer, the Associated Press, The Oregonian and Willamette Week all cited law enforcement sources who identified Jesse Calhoun as person of interest in the deaths of several women whose bodies were found in wooded or secluded areas around Portland between February and May. Calhoun has not been charged in any of the deaths.
Calhoun had been released from prison in July 2021 under a series of commutations by then-Governor Kate Brown, 11 months before the end of his sentence.
Deputies arrested Calhoun near Milwaukie in June 2023 on active parole board warrants, and Gov. Tina Kotek revoked his commutation at the request of the Multnomah County District Attorney's office As a result, Calhoun was returned to prison to serve out the remainder of his sentence.
Calhoun is scheduled to be released from prison on June 7, according to public records obtained by KGW from the Oregon Board of Parole. Calhoun is currently being held at Snake River Correctional Institution in eastern Oregon on charges unrelated to the women’s deaths.
Last year, Calhoun claimed he’d been wrongly accused in a series of messages sent to KGW through an inmate communication system.
“Im (sic) no killer,” Calhoun wrote from behind bars. “I have not been charged with anything for a reason. I’m guessing they are trying to come up with whatever they can on me cuz they have no one else as a easier target as me\sitting duck.”
KGW has reached out to Calhoun’s attorney about the upcoming grand jury and will update this story when we hear back.
Police have not disclosed publicly how the women’s cases may be connected, except to say at least one person of interest is linked to at least four victims: Kristin Smith, Charity Perry, Bridget Webster, and Ashley Real.
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s office has not named a person of interest.
When reached by phone, Speaks' sister said she was not prepared to comment on the latest development.