Katie Lynn Kinder was a loving aunt who brought joy and laughter to her family. At 47 years old, she lived in a multi-generational home in Happy Valley, Oregon, with her 15-year-old son, Evan Scott Kinder, and her 78-year-old mother, Patricia Lynn Campbell. Evan was a young man with his entire life ahead of him, and Patricia was remembered by family as a beloved mother and grandmother who helped hold the family together.
The three were part of a close-knit family that was left devastated by their sudden loss.
Concern grew on Monday, October 19, 2026, when Katie, a female, failed to show up for her job. Her employer contacted the Happy Valley Police Department to request a welfare check at her home in the 13000 block of Southeast Highpointe Street, but officers were unable to make contact with anyone inside. The next day, Tuesday, October 20, Katie again missed work. Her employer called the police a second time, and concerned co-workers went to the residence themselves, gaining access to the home. Officers were dispatched to the scene shortly before 12:30 p.m. and, upon entering, made a tragic discovery. Katie, her son Evan, and her mother Patricia were all found deceased inside. Neighbors later told investigators they had not seen anyone at the house for a few days.
The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, along with the Happy Valley Police Department, the medical examiner, and the District Attorney's Office, launched an investigation. Autopsies performed by the Clackamas County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed that all three family members had died from gunshot wounds, and their deaths were ruled homicides. Detectives quickly identified a suspect: Katie’s 45-year-old boyfriend, Edward Villa, who lived in the home with the family. Investigators learned that Villa had also failed to report to his job on October 19 and 20. He had worked for the North Clackamas School District since 2007, most recently as a student and community engagement specialist.
Authorities established probable cause to believe Villa was responsible for the three murders and issued an arrest warrant for him on three counts of first-degree murder. The investigation revealed that Villa had been in Warrenton, Oregon, on the morning of October 20. The search for him involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Marshals Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force.
On Wednesday, October 21, Warrenton police located Villa’s vehicle at the South Jetty Inn, a motel in Hammond on the Oregon coast. Around 1 p.m., U.S. Marshals surrounded the motel and attempted to make verbal contact with him. Shortly after their arrival, officers heard what sounded like a single gunshot from inside Villa's room. They entered and found him deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
In the aftermath, the victims' family released a statement expressing their profound grief. "There are no words strong enough to describe the pain, grief, and devastation we are feeling," the family shared. They thanked the community for its support and asked for privacy as they mourned the loss of a mother, sister, and nephew. Clackamas County Sheriff James Rhodes described the deaths as heartbreaking and extended his condolences to the family.
The investigation into the triple homicide is ongoing, though authorities have stated they do not believe there is any further threat to the public. The case is considered closed, as the primary suspect is deceased. The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office has asked anyone with information about the case to contact its tip line at 503-723-4949 or submit a tip online, referencing Case No. 26-020747.
