On the evening of May 6, 2019, Bradley Kelley, a 35-year-old White male from Salem, Oregon, was fatally shot in a tragic incident that also claimed the life of his best friend. The shooting occurred in the 3600 block of Joshua Avenue Northeast in Salem. When deputies from the Marion County Sheriff's Office arrived at the scene around 10:15 p.m., they discovered Bradley Kelley deceased.
Two other individuals had also sustained gunshot wounds: 35-year-old Michael Buntjer and 26-year-old Coral Olfert. Both were transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Michael Buntjer later died from his injuries at the hospital, while Coral Olfert was treated for non-life-threatening wounds and was expected to survive. The Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office conducted autopsies and confirmed that both Kelley and Buntjer died as a result of gunshot wounds, officially ruling their deaths as homicides. Known to his loved ones as "Brad," Kelley was remembered as a devoted son, brother, husband, and father who had a big voice and a smile that could light up a room. A lifelong resident of the Salem area, he was a tow truck driver who loved fishing, camping, and NASCAR.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly led to the identification and arrest of two suspects less than 24 hours after the shooting. Keonte Caldwell, 23, and Curtis Deshawn Welch, 27, both from the Salem area, were apprehended in the Roseburg area. Authorities stated that the suspects were known to the victims, suggesting the incident was not random. Caldwell and Welch were subsequently charged with two counts of aggravated murder and one count of attempted murder.
Following their arrest, a judge ordered both Keonte Caldwell and Curtis Deshawn Welch to be held without bail. The charges of aggravated murder carried the potential for severe penalties, including life in prison. Friends and family of Bradley Kelley remembered him as a kind-hearted man who would do anything for the people he loved and who worked tirelessly to support his family. He left behind a wife and children.
