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Taunja Bennett

Case from Portland, OR dated Jan 21, 1990

Victim Details

Taunja Bennett

Female

White / Caucasian

Portland

OR

1990-01-21

23

Taunja

Bennett

07/25/2026

Case Description

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Taunja Bennett, a 23-year-old woman from Portland, Oregon, was reported missing on January 21, 1990. The following day, her body was discovered near a switchback in the Columbia River Gorge along the Old Columbia River Highway. She had been beaten, sexually assaulted, and strangled to death. An autopsy later confirmed that strangulation was the cause of death.

Initially, the investigation into Bennett's murder faced challenges due to a lack of leads or eyewitnesses. However, a breakthroug ...
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Links to Additional Sources (15)

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  • Laverne Pavlinac - Wikipedia
  • 'Happy Face Killer' case tapes reveal the lengths woman went to ...
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    Forum Posts (2)

    I've been thinking a lot about Taunja Bennett's case and one aspect that really gets to me is how La... ...Read More
    12/30/2023
    I can't stop thinking about the ramifications of Keith Hunter Jesperson's decision to come forward w... ...Read More
    03/01/2023
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