In the early morning hours of Saturday, August 22, 2026, a vehicle fire on a rural property in Forest Grove, Oregon, led to a grim discovery that shattered the quiet of the community. Responding firefighters found human remains, prompting a wider investigation by the Washington County Sheriff's Office that would uncover a scene of immense tragedy. Stella Jade Kimsey, a 26-year-old woman, was among five people found deceased on the property located at 47350 NW Otis Ln.
The other victims were her mother, 60-year-old Rowan Karla Kimsey; her grandmother, 85-year-old Mary Elizabeth Kimsey; her best friend, 26-year-old Linsey Mae Haraldsen; and Linsey's partner, 27-year-old Alvin Raymond Chu. Stella and her mother were residents of the Forest Grove property, which was owned by Rowan. The tranquil family home had become the site of a quintuple homicide.
The investigation quickly zeroed in on a suspect: Stella's 36-year-old boyfriend, Benjamin Charles Parker, who also lived at the residence. Authorities believe the horrific events began with an act of domestic violence. Evidence from phone records revealed that just hours before the killings, Stella's grandmother, Mary Kimsey, had texted a friend about a fight between Stella and Parker. Investigators theorize that Parker first murdered Stella, and then her mother, Rowan, when she came to check on her daughter. As others arrived at the property, they too became victims. Linsey Haraldsen and Alvin Chu were killed when they came to check on their friends. Stella's grandmother, Mary, was also killed upon her arrival. The violence extended beyond the human inhabitants; two dogs and two cats were also found dead at the scene, and a third cat was so severely injured it had to be euthanized.
After the killings, Benjamin Parker fled the scene, traveling approximately 187 miles north to Enumclaw, Washington. Law enforcement was able to track his vehicle, and he was located inside it, deceased from what authorities believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Parker's mother had contacted law enforcement and reported that he had confessed to the homicides before taking his own life. With the sole suspect deceased, there will be no arrests or trial in this case. The investigation, described by the Washington County Sheriff as one of the most complex in her 22-year career, is ongoing to process evidence and reconstruct the exact timeline of events. The motive appears to be rooted in domestic violence, escalating into a mass murder that claimed the lives of five innocent people and brought a tragic end to a family spanning three generations.
