Do you know who murdered 46 year old Fred William Edgi? Just before the break of dawn in Portland, Oregon, on February 27, 1987, the body of Fred William Edgi, a 36-year-old Indian male, was discovered. He was found deceased in his sleeping bag, tucked away beneath the west side of the Burnside Bridge near what was then known as Front Avenue. An investigation determined that he had been shot to death. Edgi, who was originally from Canada, had only recently made his way to Portland and was known as a talented amateur artist.
Close to where his
body was found, a handwritten note was recovered, in which the author claimed responsibility for the killing. This discovery added a chilling layer to the circumstances of his death. Investigators began to piece together the events leading up to the tragedy and soon found alarming similarities to another recent case. The murder of Fred Edgi was not an isolated incident but rather a potential link in a series of violent acts.
Five months prior, another transient man, Terrence Demildenhall, was also found shot to death in his sleeping bag, less than half a mile from where Edgi's body was discovered. The parallels between the two homicides were striking to law enforcement. Both men were transients, both were killed in the early morning hours, and both were known to be heavy drinkers. These resemblances led investigators to a strong belief that a single individual was responsible for both deaths.
Despite the evidence linking the two murders and the presence of the handwritten note, the identity of a suspect or suspects has remained elusive. The case has since gone cold, leaving the question of who was responsible for the death of Fred Edgi unanswered. No arrests have been made in connection with his murder, and it remains an unsolved crime in the city of Portland.
