In the summer of 2020, a tragedy unfolded in a Northeast Portland neighborhood, forever altering the lives of several families. On July 17th of that year, 45-year-old Elmer Edwin Hughes, a White male, was found deceased alongside two other individuals in the 2500 block of Northeast 122nd Avenue. His life, and those of his neighbors, were cut short in an act of violence that would later be described as a triple homicide.
The initial discovery launched an intensive investigation by the
Portland Police Bureau. It was determined that Hughes and another victim, Tashia Heather Cobb, were killed outside a residence, while the third victim, Lawrence Wayne Murphy, was killed inside. The day after the discovery of the bodies, on July 18, 2020, an arrest was made in connection with the killings. The suspect was identified as Brett Edward Pruett.
Further investigation revealed a grim timeline of events. Prior to the triple murder on July 17th, Pruett had allegedly been involved in another violent incident on July 14, 2020, where he was accused of causing physical injury to an adult female with a dangerous weapon. This earlier assault added another layer to the developing case against him.
In the fall of 2023, Brett Edward Pruett, then 61, stood trial for the murders. After court proceedings that spanned from September 11th to October 6th, a Multnomah County jury found him guilty on eleven counts of Murder in the First Degree. The jury also convicted him on four counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, one count of Burglary in the First Degree, and one count of Assault in the Second Degree. Following the verdict, Pruett was held in custody at the Multnomah County Detention Center, awaiting his sentencing.
