1st Oregon News Minute from the AP

Date: 03/15/2013 03:59 AM

OR–1st NewsMinute/399
Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

 

SEATTLE (AP) – The mother of a man suspected of killing his grandparents says she still loves him and her parents were like “second parents” to him. In comments made to a King County, Wash., sheriff’s spokeswoman and released yesterday, Michael Chadd Boysen’s mother, Melanie Taylor, says although her 26-year-old son spent time in prison for burglary and robbery, he never threatened his family and the family never felt threatened by him. Robert and Norma Taylor were found strangled in their Renton home last Saturday, the day after they picked up Boysen upon his release from prison and spent six hours driving him on errands.

TUALATIN, Ore. (AP) – Police in the Portland suburb of Tualatin (too-WAH’-luh-tin) say they’ve arrested a dog owner accused of killing his 13-year-old Labrador retriever and dumping the body in an apartment complex trash bin. Lt. Greg Pickering says the dog was microchipped, which helped officers locate its owner yesterday. Pickering says Leroy Jacob Moffitt told officers that he used a hatchet to kill the dog earlier in the day. A motive wasn’t released. Moffitt faces aggravated animal abuse charges.

COOS BAY, Ore. (AP) – The police chief of Coos Bay, Ore., says a body found in the area may be that of a local woman last seen Jan. 4 at her apartment. Chief Gary McCullough tells The World newspaper the body is likely that of Holly Berry. He says clothing on the body fit a description given to police on the day the 34-year-old woman vanished. A dark pink backpack was also found. Surveillance footage on the day of her disappearance showed her wearing a purple coat and carrying a dark pink backpack.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Oregon law enforcement officers say they were able to stop a stolen car and arrest the two young men inside after an Interstate 5 chase that reached speeds as high as 100 mph. No one was injured. After the owner reported spotting her stolen car Thursday evening in the Salem area, officers from a half dozen jurisdictions joined in the effort to stop it. After about 35 miles, the 1996 gray Honda was stopped by a spike strip in the Tualatin area south of Portland. Marion County sheriff’s spokesman Don Thomson says traffic was moderate and officers were able to continue the chase without endangering others.

 

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.