Do you know who killed Thomas Patrick Ryan in 1989? On January 19, 1989, a welfare check led to the grim discovery of 42-year-old Thomas Patrick Ryan, a Caucasian male, deceased in his Portland, Oregon apartment. Officers had been dispatched to his residence at 4509 SW Vermont Street, Apartment 1, and upon finding the door locked, they enlisted the help of the apartment manager to gain entry. Inside, they found Mr.
Ryan, a victim of homicidal violence.
Investigators at the scene determined that the victim's vehicle, a distinctive 1979 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, brown two-tone in color, was missing from the apartment complex. It was believed that the person or persons responsible for his death may have taken the car. The investigation took a turn when the Monte Carlo was located in Washington State, just across the river from Umatilla, Oregon, which was the last place the vehicle had been seen.
A description of a possible suspect emerged from the investigation, connected to the stolen vehicle. This individual was described as a white male, approximately 20 years of age, standing about 5'8" tall with a slender build of around 140-150 pounds. He was further distinguished by having red hair and a red beard. Despite this lead, no arrests have been publicly announced in the decades following the murder, and the case remains an open investigation with the Portland Police Bureau's Cold Case Homicide Unit.
