In May of 2019, the life of a young, White/Caucasian 25-year-old mother from Salem, Oregon, named Karissa Fretwell, was tragically cut short. Karissa and her three-year-old son, William, were last seen on May 13, 2019. Concern grew when family members were unable to reach her, and on May 17, they reported her and her son missing. Her unlocked apartment with the television still on hinted that their disappearance was not planned.
The investigation into their whereabouts soon focused on 52-year-old Michael John Wolfe, the biological father of Karissa's son. Wolfe, a married man, had been involved in a relationship with Karissa, which resulted in the birth of their son. Court records revealed a contentious history between the two, centered around child support. Karissa had recently taken Wolfe to court, and a judge had ordered him to pay approximately $900 a month in child support, a development that reportedly did not sit well with him. This conflict over financial responsibility and custody made him an immediate person of interest in the disappearance of the young mother and her child.
On May 24, 2019, Michael Wolfe was arrested in Portland and charged with the kidnapping and murder of Karissa and William. Despite the absence of their bodies at the time, authorities felt they had enough evidence to proceed with the charges. The search for Karissa and her son came to a heartbreaking end on June 15, 2019, when their bodies were discovered in a remote, wooded area about 10 miles west of Yamhill. An autopsy later confirmed that Karissa Fretwell had died from a single gunshot wound to the head. The cause of her young son's death was also ruled a homicide.
Following years of legal proceedings, Michael J. Wolfe pleaded guilty to aggravated murder and second-degree murder in June 2022. His admission of guilt brought an end to a painful chapter for Karissa's family. Subsequently, Wolfe was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years for the murder of Karissa Fretwell and their son, William.
