Do you know who murdered Brian Mitchell in Portland, OR? On the evening of November 14, 1995, a sense of routine was shattered by violence in a residential neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. Twenty-four-year-old Brian Todd Mitchell, a man described by his family as a good kid who was both a superb athlete and musically gifted, had just returned home from renting some videos. At approximately 8:45 p.m., he parked his black 1986 Ford Thunderbird across the street from his residence in the 4300 block of Northeast Hazelfern Place.
As he was getting out of his car, the quiet of the evening was broken by the sound of numerous gunshots, prompting his roommates and neighbors to look outside.
Their discovery was a grim one. Mitchell was found lying on the ground near his vehicle, having been shot in the head and the leg. Despite the quick response of those who came to his aid, his injuries were fatal. Mitchell, who was employed in the shipping department of The Oregonian newspaper, was not known to be involved in any criminal activity or gangs, leaving his loved ones and investigators baffled by the senseless act of violence that had taken his life.
The investigation into Mitchell's murder has remained a cold case for decades, with no arrests ever being made. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, neighbors reported seeing two vehicles leaving the area. One was described as a mid-1980s Toyota or K-car type vehicle, while another was said to be a Volkswagen Rabbit-type vehicle. However, investigators were never able to definitively link these vehicles to the shooting. The identity of the shooter, and whether they were in a vehicle or on foot, remains a mystery. The case has been the subject of public appeals for information over the years, including a campaign that featured cold cases on city buses in an effort to generate new leads that might finally bring justice for Brian Mitchell and his family.
