Authorities Identify Multiple Bodies in Oregon River Homicide Investigation

Authorities are investigating multiple deaths discovered in the Portland, Oregon area involving bodies found in local waterways. In August, human remains found in the Tualatin River near Hillsboro were identified by DNA as 34-year-old Ezequiel Avila-Ruiz, who was known to be unhoused and camped near Rood Bridge Park; police consider his death a homicide and are seeking public assistance for information. Avila-Ruiz was last seen on July 31 near Southeast Baseline Street and South First Avenue. Separately, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office identified a man found dead in the Tualatin River near Brown’s Ferry Park as 42-year-old Joe Jacob Winn, with no foul play suspected in his death. In Portland, police are also investigating the death of 39-year-old Stevie Duncan, whose charred remains were found after a house fire in Drapers Heights, with the fire's cause still under investigation. These incidents highlight ongoing safety concerns in the Portland area involving vulnerable individuals and unusual circumstances surrounding their deaths.