In the late summer of 2020, the city of Portland, Oregon, became the backdrop for a senseless act of violence that claimed the life of Thomas Hammond, a 66-year-old Caucasian male. On the evening of August 20th, near the serene setting of the Grotto in Northeast Portland, Hammond was fatally shot. The incident unfolded along Northeast Skidmore Street, where police responded to reports of a shooting and discovered him deceased at the scene.
The investigation into the death of Thomas
Hammond revealed that he was the victim of a carjacking. The man responsible for this violent encounter was identified as Quentin Blackmon. In the course of the robbery, Blackmon shot and killed Hammond. The case was described by authorities as a stranger-on-stranger homicide, adding a layer of tragic randomness to the event. For weeks, the case remained under investigation as law enforcement worked to identify a suspect.
A break in the case came on October 2, 2020, when officers with the Portland Police Bureau arrested Quentin Blackmon. His apprehension was initially for a probation violation while detectives were investigating a separate homicide. Through further investigation, Portland Police Bureau homicide detectives and the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office were able to link Blackmon to the death of Thomas Hammond. A grand jury subsequently indicted him on multiple charges, including Murder in the First Degree, Robbery in the First Degree, Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Blackmon, who was 43 at the time of the investigation, remained in custody from the day of his arrest.
The legal proceedings against Quentin Blackmon culminated in a jury trial. On April 30, 2024, a jury found him guilty of several charges related to the death of Thomas Hammond, including first-degree manslaughter, first-degree robbery, unlawful use of a weapon with a firearm, and unauthorized use of a vehicle. The following day, he was also found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Following the verdict, Blackmon was scheduled for sentencing in May 2024. The resolution of the trial brought a measure of justice for the tragic and untimely death of Thomas Hammond.
