Who murdered 56 year old James Edward Henry in 1987? In the late summer of 1987, the life of James Edward Henry, a 56-year-old Caucasian male, came to a tragic and violent end. For a decade, Henry had carved out a modest existence in Northwest Portland, living in a garage and working as a handyman at the residence. Described as "semi-transient," he was a familiar face in the Old Town area. On the evening of August 1st, witnesses recalled seeing him lying on a bench in a bus shelter at the intersection of Northwest Glisan Street and 23rd Avenue as
early as 8:00 p.m.
In the pre-dawn hours of August 2, at approximately 1:15 a.m., a transient discovered Henry in the same bus shelter, gravely injured and barely breathing. He had sustained severe head injuries and was immediately transported to a local hospital. For a month, he clung to life, but his wounds proved too severe. On September 2, 1987, James Henry succumbed to his injuries, transforming an assault investigation into a homicide case.
Despite the passage of time, the case of James Henry's death remains unsolved. Investigators have not publicly identified any suspects or made any arrests in connection with his murder. The circumstances surrounding the brutal attack that left him mortally wounded in a public bus shelter are still unknown. The Portland Police Bureau's Cold Case Homicide Unit continues to seek information from the public, hoping that someone might come forward with the key detail that could bring a resolution to this decades-old case and provide answers for a life cut short.
