Commissioners on June 7 appointed Nick Hunter Marion County Sheriff, completing the term of retiring Sheriff Joe Kast. Hunter has supervised three of four divisions and led a SWAT team at the sheriff’s office.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Salem teen sentenced to life in prison for 2021 murder-for hire
Gerardo Trujillo-Torres, now 19, pleaded guilty to shooting two people and killing one when he was 16 in January 2021. The teen must serve at least 15 years before he will be eligible for parole.
No cause reported for fire in furniture factory at Oregon State Penitentiary
Prison officials say no one was seriously injured in a fire Monday at an Oregon Corrections Enterprises furniture factory.
TIMELINE: 84 days before Salem police provided fatal crash evidence to investigators
Salem police did not provide body camera video related to a March fatal bike collision until nearly three months later to outside investigators. Public records and statements from local authorities establish the events between the time the video was recorded and when that evidence was turned over to the Keizer police.
Salem police gave video evidence to investigators three months after cyclist’s death
Salem police did not share body camera video with outside investigators related a fatal bike collision for nearly three months, an investigation by Salem Reporter has established. Police said at the time that the driver was a federal agent.
Former Boy Scouts leader arrested for sexual abuse of minor in Marion County
Terry Heck was charged Friday with sexually abusing a minor as young as 11 over several years. Salem police say the abuse began in 2017, when Heck was a leader with the Boy Scouts organization.
Weather alert prompts fireworks ban in Salem on Fourth of July
A ban on all fireworks in Salem has been in place for the Fourth of July, city officials announced. High fire risk triggered the move hours ahead of when families would gather for the holiday tradition of home fireworks.
Man who was shot dies after he’s found on sidewalk near state fairgrounds, police say
The holiday weekend in Salem was marred Saturday night by the discovery of man shot in Northeast Salem. Salem police are investigating his death and report no arrests.
Salem police arrest teen suspected in near-fatal beating of 64-year-old man
Witnesses said a 64-year-old man was walking down Northeast Sunnyview Road when a young man began punching and kicking him.
After fatal hit-and-run, Salem mother remembers son’s patience, dedication to family
Police have provided little information about the hit-and-run collision on June 17 that killed Michael Campos-Kegley, a 21-year-old Salem resident. His family says he was skateboarding to work at the time of the crash.
