US News

Suspect found dead after five bodies discovered on rural Oregon property

Authorities believe a 36-year-old man died by suicide in Washington state following a quintuple homicide near Portland.

Updated Aug 24, 2026 · 03:18 UTC3 reports

The short version

Deputies investigating a vehicle fire discovered five bodies and multiple dead animals on a rural property in Washington County, Oregon.
Law enforcement named 36-year-old Benjamin Charles Parker as the suspect and reported finding him dead inside a vehicle in Enumclaw, Washington.
Investigators believe the suspect was known to the victims and stated there is no continuing threat to the public.
Authorities are working to confirm the victims' identities and determine the exact causes of death.

Emergency crews initially responded early Saturday to a 911 report of a vehicle fire outside Forest Grove, Oregon, where they discovered five human bodies and several dead animals.[ABC News · Associated Press · NBC News]
The Washington County Sheriff's Office named Benjamin Charles Parker, 36, as the suspect in what they are treating as a quintuple homicide.[NBC News]
Police in Enumclaw, Washington, located Parker's vehicle and found him deceased inside, with officials stating he is believed to have died by suicide.[NBC News]
Sheriff Caprice Massey said investigators do not believe the killings were random and noted that Parker was known to the individuals at the property.[NBC News]

Officials have not yet publicly disclosed the names, ages, genders, or causes of death of the five victims, citing the ongoing process of confirming identities and notifying family.[ABC News · Associated Press · NBC News]
Authorities have not released a motive or detailed the specific relationship between the suspect and the deceased.[Associated Press · NBC News]