On the evening of New Year's Eve 2023, a 21-year-old White/Caucasian male named Skyler Stuckey from Albany, Oregon, was fatally shot in Portland's East Columbia neighborhood. The incident occurred shortly after 8 p.m. in the area of Northeast Faloma Road. Stuckey, who was between jobs and expecting a child in a few months, had accepted money to drive two individuals to Portland that night. The shooting took place when they reached their destination.
Responding to a shooting call, North Precinct officers arrived to find Stuckey and an 18-year-old male with gunshot wounds. Both men were transported to a local hospital for medical attention. Stuckey succumbed to his injuries and died at the hospital, while the younger man was treated for his injuries and subsequently released. The medical examiner later confirmed that Stuckey's death was a homicide caused by gunshot wounds. A witness in the neighborhood reported hearing gunshots and then discovering Stuckey in a car and the other victim running into his yard. The witness also noted finding bullet holes in his own property after the event.
For months, the case remained under investigation with no arrests made. Stuckey's family, grieving his loss, yearned for answers and closure. His mother, Misti, described him as someone who touched hearts everywhere he went and who would have been a great father.
In September 2025, a breakthrough in the case occurred when 18-year-old Jimmi L. Lawing, also from Albany, was arrested during a traffic stop. Lawing was then extradited to Multnomah County and booked into the detention center. He has been charged with first-degree manslaughter in connection with Skyler Stuckey's death.
