In the fall of 2022, Elizabeth Gibson, a 32-year-old woman known to her loved ones as Libby, disappeared from Portland, Oregon. Her family and friends would not learn of the tragic circumstances surrounding her absence for many months, a period of uncertainty that ended with the heartbreaking confirmation that she had become a victim in a string of killings that terrified the region.
Her family described her as a person who was "kind, creative, and silly," and someone who "welcomed everyone with love and acceptance."
Investigators now believe Libby was killed on or around November 18, 2022. She was not officially reported missing until March 2023, when a friend and later her family alerted authorities. During the investigation into a series of women's deaths in the Portland area, Libby's name surfaced numerous times, leading prosecutors to focus on her disappearance. Despite an extensive and ongoing investigation, Libby’s body has never been found. However, prosecutors have stated they possess "sufficient evidence" to prove she was killed.
The investigation into Libby's death became intertwined with a much larger and more alarming case. In early 2023, the bodies of several women were discovered in and around Portland, sparking fears of a serial killer. The victims were identified as Charity Perry, 24; Bridget Webster, 31; Joanna Speaks, 32; Kristin Smith, 22; and Ashley Real, 22. Their remains were found in wooded areas, a culvert, and other secluded locations within a 100-mile radius.
In June 2023, police arrested Jesse Lee Calhoun, a 41-year-old man with a significant criminal history, on unrelated parole warrants. Investigators soon linked him to the deaths of the five women whose bodies had been found. Calhoun had been released from prison a year early in 2021 after his sentence for burglary and assaulting a police officer was commuted because he had helped fight wildfires. After he became the primary suspect in the murders, Oregon's governor revoked the commutation.
In September 2026, the Multnomah County District Attorney announced that a grand jury had indicted Calhoun for Libby Gibson's death, naming her as his sixth and likely first victim. Unlike the other cases, the charge in Libby's death was first-degree manslaughter, accusing Calhoun of recklessly causing her death "under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life." For the other five deaths, Calhoun faces charges of second-degree murder and abuse of a corpse. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Upon the announcement of the indictment, Libby's siblings released a statement expressing their grief and gratitude. "Our family is grateful that a definitive step toward justice is finally being taken for our sister, Libby," they wrote. "Her future was tragically taken from her way too soon. We are deeply appreciative of the tireless work and dedication of the law enforcement officers and of the district attorney's office whose efforts have helped bring us to this point."
The legal proceedings against Jesse Lee Calhoun are ongoing. Prosecutors have stated their intent to try him for all six cases at once, a complex trial that is not expected to begin until at least 2027. As her family continues to mourn and honor her memory, the search for Libby Gibson's remains continues. Police have asked anyone with information about her disappearance and death to contact Detective Jeff Pontius with the Portland Police Bureau.
