Do you know who murdered Walter? In the early morning hours of August 23, 1989, Walter Uria Pirtle, a 47-year-old white male, was waiting for the downtown Eugene blood bank to open. Pirtle, who was experiencing homelessness at the time, was in the company of another man when they were approached by two individuals on foot who demanded money.
The encounter took a violent turn when the two assailants attacked Pirtle. He was struck multiple times in the head with a club and also stabbed with a knife.
The brutal assault proved fatal, and Pirtle died at the scene from blunt force trauma. The second man who was with Pirtle was not seriously injured during the incident.
The two suspects fled the scene and are believed to have been seen in a light brown Ford Pinto station wagon. The first suspect was described as a white male in his early 20s, weighing approximately 150 pounds. The second suspect was also described as a white male in his early 20s, weighing between 140 and 150 pounds. Despite these descriptions and the information about the vehicle, no arrests have ever been made in connection with the murder of Walter Uria Pirtle, and his case remains an unsolved homicide.
