In the spring of 1999, a sense of unease began to creep through the homeless community in Portland, Oregon. Lilla Faye Moler, a 28-year-old Caucasian woman, was among those who had fallen on hard times. Battling bipolar disorder, she was known to work as a prostitute to survive. In April of that year, Lilla vanished. For weeks, her whereabouts remained a mystery, a silent question mark in the lives of those who knew her. The answer, when it came, was grim.
On May 7, 1999, a couple walking their dog in the sprawling urban wilderness of Forest Park stumbled upon a horrifying discovery. Hidden beneath a covering of branches and leaves lay the body of Lilla Faye Moler. An autopsy would later reveal she had been sexually assaulted and strangled to death. Investigators estimated her body had been in the park for one to two months. A crucial piece of evidence, a condom containing the killer's DNA, was found just 28 feet from her body.
The discovery of Lilla’s body was just the beginning of a larger, more terrifying story. As police scoured the vast expanse of Forest Park for clues in her murder, they found another victim only a quarter-mile away. Stephanie Lynn Russell, a 26-year-old friend of Lilla's who also lived on the streets, was found on May 14. She had suffered the same brutal fate: sexual assault and strangulation. Then, on June 2, a hiker discovered the body of 17-year-old Alexandria Nicole Ison on a trail in the park. The pattern was undeniable, and fear of a serial killer preying on vulnerable women gripped the city.
The Portland Police Bureau launched an intensive investigation, focusing on the grim similarities between the three murders. Their break came on July 7, when they set up a sting operation. A female police officer, chosen for her resemblance to the victims, posed as a prostitute in an area frequented by Lilla and Stephanie. A man was observed stalking the decoy officer. An officer recognized him from a prior conviction, and the man, Todd Alan Reed, a 32-year-old produce worker, became their prime suspect. On July 18, 1999, Reed was arrested at his job after his DNA was matched to the evidence found at the crime scenes.
Faced with irrefutable evidence, Todd Alan Reed pleaded guilty on February 23, 2001, to the murders of Lilla Faye Moler, Stephanie Lynn Russell, and Alexandria Nicole Ison. By pleading guilty, he avoided a potential death sentence and was instead sentenced to three consecutive life terms in prison. While Reed was brought to justice for these three murders, questions lingered about his possible involvement in other unsolved cases, leaving a lasting scar on the community.
