In the quiet woods near Noti, Oregon, a grim discovery was made on November 20, 2022. Two hunters, navigating the terrain off Highway 126, stumbled upon the body of a man later identified as 37-year-old Sean Lee Wilkins from the nearby community of Swisshome. It was soon determined that Wilkins, a male, had been the victim of gun violence, and his death was ruled a homicide, launching a lengthy and complex investigation that would keep the community on edge for nearly a year.
For months, the case of Sean Lee Wilkins remained a somber mystery, with law enforcement officials diligently working to piece together the events that led to his untimely death. The turning point in the investigation came almost a year after Wilkins' body was found. In a coordinated effort, Lane County deputies descended on a property located on Poodle Creek Drive, a place that neighbors indicated had a troubled history. The law enforcement presence was a clear sign that a break in the case had occurred.
Three individuals were taken into custody in connection with the murder of Sean Lee Wilkins. A father and son, Timothy Leon Schaefer and 23-year-old Timothy Bryce Schaefer, were arrested. The younger Schaefer faced the most severe charge of second-degree murder. His father, Timothy Leon Schaefer, was charged with abuse of a corpse and hindering prosecution, suggesting an attempt to conceal the crime. A third individual, Anna Maria Theresa Glick, was also arrested and charged with hindering prosecution. The arrests brought a sense of resolution to some in the community, who had long been wary of the activities at the Poodle Creek Drive property and were not surprised to see it become the center of a major criminal investigation.
