On January 12, 2021, a tragic incident occurred in the Parkrose neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, resulting in the death of 41-year-old Miguel Angel Armenta-Hernandez due to gun violence. The incident began when shots were heard on NE 100th Avenue, midblock between Wygant Street and Sandy Boulevard, at approximately 4:10 a.m. Portland Police Bureau North Precinct officers were promptly dispatched to the scene.
Upon their arrival, officers found a deceased person.
Detectives from the PPB's Homicide Division were called in to investigate the scene. Initially, the victim's identity was not known, but later, through an investigation involving a distinctive tattoo, the victim was identified as Miguel Angel Armenta-Hernandez. The Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office confirmed that the cause of death was a gunshot wound, ruling the incident a homicide.
The investigation into Armenta-Hernandez's death led to the identification and subsequent arrest of a suspect. On January 14, 2021, PPB officials announced that 33-year-old Lakecia Unique Dean had been arrested in connection with the homicide. Dean was taken into custody on January 14 at 3:38 p.m. and booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center. She was charged with a Class A Felony for Attempted Murder, as well as Class C Felony charges for Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. During her arraignment, Dean's combined bail was set at $260,000, and she remains incarcerated at the Multnomah County Detention Center in lieu of bail.
The arrest of Lakecia Unique Dean marked a significant development in the case, providing some closure for the family and community affected by Armenta-Hernandez's death. The ongoing investigation and the swift action by the PPB underscore the commitment to addressing the rising violence in outer East Portland neighborhoods, which had seen a surge in shootings and homicides in the early days of 2021.
