In a tragic turn of events on the night of June 26, 2023, 46-year-old Erica Jordan lost her life in her Vancouver, Washington, home. The harrowing incident unfolded at approximately 10:53 p.m. when two juvenile females, ages 12 and 16, placed a frantic 911 call. They reported that their stepfather, James Jordan, 45, had just shot their mother and then himself.
Upon arriving at the residence in the area of Northeast 42nd Avenue and 56th Street, Clark County Sheriff's deputies found the
two girls outside, physically unharmed. Inside, they discovered a grim scene. Erica Jordan was found with a gunshot wound, and her estranged husband, James Jordan, had an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Emergency medical services transported Erica to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries, but she later succumbed to her wounds. James Jordan was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation by the Clark County Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Unit concluded that this was a murder-suicide, and there was no further threat to the public.
The investigation revealed a history of domestic turmoil leading up to the fatal incident. Erica and James were married but estranged, and a protection order was in place that prohibited James from coming within 1,000 feet of Erica's residence. Despite this, he had a history of violating the order. Records show a series of arrests and protection orders against him, with the most recent protection order issued on October 11, 2022. He was most recently arrested for violating the protection order on April 4, 2023, and was sentenced to 30 days in jail with credit for time served. Evidence and statements collected by investigators indicated that James Jordan was not living at the residence and had arrived just moments before the 911 call. It appears he forced his way into the home before shooting Erica and then turning the gun on himself.
Further investigation revealed that a vehicle had dropped James Jordan off at the residence just before the shooting. A deputy later spotted a vehicle matching the description and attempted a traffic stop. After a brief chase, the vehicle stopped, and two occupants fled on foot. A K-9 search of the area was unsuccessful in locating the individuals. However, investigators confirmed the vehicle was connected to the murder-suicide and seized it as evidence as the investigation continued.
