In the quiet community of Gresham, Oregon, the life of 34-year-old Hillary Vodden, a Caucasian female, was tragically cut short on December 23, 2017. What began as a festive season, just a day before her twin daughters' Christmas Eve birthday, turned into a scene of devastating violence. Vodden was discovered in her home in the 2000 block of Northwest 7th Place, having suffered a fatal gunshot wound.
The events that led to this grim discovery began to unfold when the father of Vodden's boyfriend, Robert Lopez, walked into the Gresham Police headquarters with a chilling confession from his son.
According to police, Lopez's father reported that his son had just killed his girlfriend. This prompted an immediate welfare check at Vodden's residence, where officers found her deceased. The initial report set in motion a search for the suspect, who was believed to be armed and dangerous. The search, however, came to a swift and somber conclusion a short time later.
While investigators were processing the scene of Vodden's death, another call came in to the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office regarding a vehicle crash. Deputies responding to the scene on Highway 26 at Southeast Haley Road found a car that had veered off the road and into a ditch. Inside the vehicle, which belonged to Hillary Vodden, they discovered the body of Robert Lopez. It was determined that Lopez had taken his own life, turning the investigation into a case of murder-suicide and bringing a tragic end to the search for a suspect.
