In the early morning hours of August 7, 2021, the life of 18-year-old Donavinh Saelee was tragically cut short in Portland, Oregon. A security guard on patrol made the grim discovery at approximately 4:40 a.m., finding Saelee's body in the area of Southeast Holgate Boulevard and Southeast 128th Avenue. Evidence of a shooting was present at the scene, and medical personnel who responded confirmed his death.
The Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office later determined that Saelee had died from gunshot wounds and ruled his death a homicide.
The investigation into the shooting death of the male teenager led police to two suspects. In November of the same year, 21-year-old Zachary Retonong and 19-year-old Winkel Sienson Walter were arrested in connection with the homicide. Both men were subsequently charged with multiple serious offenses, including Murder in the First Degree, Murder in the Second Degree, and Robbery in the First Degree. Additional charges of Conspiracy to Commit Murder and Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle were also filed against them.
Following their arrests, both Retonong and Walter were booked into the Multnomah County jail as their court cases began to move forward. The death of Donavinh Saelee marked the 58th homicide in Portland in 2021, a year that saw a significant increase in homicides compared to the previous year. At the time, authorities asked for the public's help, encouraging anyone with information to contact the detectives assigned to the case.
