Kenneth Eugene Valdez, a 44-year-old Hispanic/Latino man, was shot to death inside his Hermiston, Oregon home on the morning of August 18, 2016. A longtime community member and volunteer wrestling coach, he was found after police responded to reports of gunfire near Northwest 11th Street and West Madrona Avenue. Investigators determined he had been killed in a bedroom of the residence, a violent act that abruptly ended a life intertwined with local schools and youth athletics.
Detectives quickly focused on Jason E. Huston, 45, a lifelong friend who also coached wrestling. According to contemporaneous reporting and statements from authorities, Huston entered Valdez’s home late that morning and opened fire, striking Valdez multiple times and wounding 35-year-old Andria Bye. Huston then left the house; later that day he was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. In a parallel search prompted by Bye’s account, police discovered the body of her 14-year-old son, James “JJ” Hurtado, in rugged terrain west of town that evening, deepening the tragedy that had already shaken Hermiston.
Police leadership later outlined a timeline and a likely motive rooted in jealousy: Huston had been upset that Bye was dating Valdez. Authorities described the sequence as a murder-suicide, with Huston shooting Hurtado, then killing Valdez and injuring Bye before turning the gun on himself. Because the identified shooter died, there were no arrests; the investigation concluded with Huston named as the suspect responsible for the killings.
In the days that followed, the community gathered to mourn. Valdez’s colleagues and former athletes remembered a coach who had returned to the program he once wrestled for, and services were arranged as Hermiston grieved the loss of friends, mentors, and a promising teenager. Vigils, memorials, and counseling support reflected the depth of the shock and the affection many felt for Valdez and the others caught in the violence of that August day.
