206 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

William Avis Pettit Jr

Death by Force
Case Description
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On December 3, 1995, the body of William Avis Pettit Jr., a 39-year-old white male, was discovered in a boxcar in Millersburg, Oregon. Authorities determined that he had been bludgeoned to death. Pettit, who was described as a transient at the time, was believed to have been killed two days earlier, on December 1, in Salem, Oregon. His death was one in a string of violent crimes that would later be linked to a serial killer operating across multiple states.

The suspect in Pettit's murder ...Read More
Links to Additional Sources (6)
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  • Death on the rails | | The Guardian
  • Robert Joseph Silveria Jr. - Wikipedia
    •     ...View 4 additional sources
    Victim Details

    William Avis Pettit Jr

    Male

    White / Caucasian

    Millersburg

    OR

    1995-12-03

    39

    William

    Avis Pettit Jr

    11/18/2025

    Forum Posts (2)
    I was reading through some old articles about the case of William Pettit Jr. and couldn't help but b... ...Read More
    12/09/2024
    Did anyone else notice the distinct challenge law enforcement faced with the whole transient lifesty... ...Read More
    01/31/2024
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