In the early morning hours of January 20, 2023, the quiet of a Portland neighborhood was shattered by violence. Gregory W. Newman, a 45-year-old White male, was shot and killed in the Montavilla neighborhood. The incident occurred around 2:03 a.m. in the 8500 block of Southeast Taylor Street, where officers from the East Precinct responded to a report of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they discovered Mr.
Newman deceased at the scene.
The Oregon State Medical Examiner later confirmed that the cause of Gregory Newman's death was a gunshot wound to the chest, and ruled the manner of death as a homicide. As the investigation into the fatal shooting began, Southeast Taylor Street was closed for several hours between Southeast 84th and Southeast 86th Avenues while detectives with the Portland Police Homicide Unit processed the scene.
A significant development in the case came swiftly. A man believed to be involved in the shooting remained at the location and was detained by the responding officers. This individual was later identified as 38-year-old Christopher A. Grohs. Following his detainment, Grohs was arrested by Portland Police Bureau Homicide Detectives. He was subsequently booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of Murder in the Second Degree and Unlawful Use of a Weapon. With a suspect in custody, the police were not seeking any other individuals in connection with the incident.
