PORTLAND, Ore. — The body of a Gresham woman who was reported missing on Dec. 22, 2022 has been identified. Kristin Smith, 22, was found in a wooded area near the intersection of Southeast Deardorff Road and Southeast Flavel Street in Portland's Pleasant Valley neighborhood.
Neighbors in the community said they were shocked to learn there were human remains found near their homes.
"I tell most people that we live in the nicest part of the neighborhood,” said resident Lucas Gonzalez. “So yeah, it's a first for here."
Gonzalez said he has lived in the Southeast Portland neighborhood his whole life.
He said he was driving home in February when he saw deputies in woods, he said are owned by the David Douglas School District.
The school district did not respond to our requests for comment.
Portland Police are conducting a death investigation but they have not said whether they consider Smith’s death suspicious.
Gonzalez and other neighbors said this incident makes them concerned about their neighborhood. He said that in late 2019 squatters began staying on property owned by the school district.
"We're living kind of diminished and more frightened lives," neighbor Steve Purroy said.
Purroy said in the past few years he’s noticed people squatting in the vacant fields. He said now there’s more debris in his community.
"I love this neighborhood, I bought this house with the intent of retiring here and dying here,” Purroy said. “I'm afraid of the forest fires that could happen if people are camping and starting fires that could take out pretty much everything I've worked for all my life."
Purroy said there needs to be more funds to help people find shelter. He credits the rise in homelessness to mental-health problems, as well as higher costs of living.
"Rents are skyrocketing in this area, houses are skyrocketing in this area,” Purroy said. “Some things should be more affordable. Housing's one of them."