A man accused of killing several women in the Portland area faced legal proceedings on Wednesday. Jesse Calhoun was arraigned on a fifth murder charge related to the death of Ashley Real, a 22-year-old victim in 2023. Calhoun’s defense attorney entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf as the defendant remained silent in the courtroom, where family members of the victims were also present.
Earlier, Calhoun faced charges for the deaths of four other women: Kristin Smith, 22; Charity Perry, 24; Bridget Webster, 31; and Joanna Speaks, 32. He now faces five counts of second-degree murder and four counts of corpse abuse. The victims’ bodies were discovered over several months in early 2023, which initially raised fears of a serial killer preying on young women in the region.
The remains of Real, Perry, Webster, and Smith were found in northwestern Oregon, whereas Speaks was found near an abandoned barn in southwestern Washington. The locations were dispersed within a 100-mile radius, encompassing wooded areas and a culvert.
“I never thought or imagined that my family would experience something like this,” said Jose Real, father of Ashley Real. “I’m still grateful to God because now there’s someone responsible.”
Jose Real previously contacted police in November 2022 after Ashley arrived at his home in distress, showing signs of having been choked by Calhoun. Although an initial police report was filed, the investigation was transferred to a different jurisdiction, complicating communication.
A man discovered Real’s body while fishing in a pond southeast of Portland in May 2023. Calhoun was arrested in June 2023 on unrelated parole violations, then faced additional indictments in 2024 and 2025 for the other murders. His arrest occurred shortly before his scheduled release from state prison, where he was completing a four-year sentence for assault and other offenses. His early release in 2021 followed his participation in a prison firefighting program.
Governor Tina Kotek revoked Calhoun’s commutation when he became a suspect in the homicides. A trial date for the murder charges has yet to be determined. Calhoun remains in custody at the Multnomah County Detention Center, and his defense attorneys have not provided further comments.
In an emotional address, Masciell Real, Ashley’s sister, reflected on the loss. She expressed anger that Calhoun remains alive while her sister’s life was unjustly taken.
Other victims’ relatives attended the arraignment. Diana Allen, mother of Charity Perry, said this was her first encounter with Calhoun. Despite the emotional difficulty, Allen participated to support other families affected by the tragic events.
“The strong part is that I’m here for the other families, and that gets to release me from the emotional attachment,” Allen said. “The other side is, do you have any idea, as a parent, what it is not to fly across that room and show him what a woman can do?”