In the summer of 2016, the quiet community of Cave Junction, Oregon, was shaken by the death of 39-year-old William A. Roberts. On the morning of Thursday, July 28, 2016, Roberts was found deceased in his vehicle which had crashed into a tree off Highway 199. Initially, the scene suggested a fatal car accident. However, a deeper investigation by authorities would soon uncover a more sinister and violent chain of events.
As investigators processed the scene, they discovered that William
Roberts had not died as a result of the crash. A closer examination revealed that he had sustained a gunshot wound to the back of the head. This critical finding immediately shifted the focus of the investigation from a tragic accident to a homicide. Further inspection of the vehicle showed that several of Roberts' personal belongings were missing, including his wallet, cell phone, and a handgun, suggesting that robbery was a potential motive.
The investigation quickly led law enforcement to two local residents, 39-year-old Renee Lee Edrington and 29-year-old Kyle James Forester. Police believe that on that early Thursday morning, Edrington and Forester were involved in a confrontation with Roberts. Following the dispute, it is alleged that the pair pursued Roberts in a separate vehicle and shot him, which caused his vehicle to leave the roadway and collide with the tree.
Just two days later, on Saturday morning, an Oregon State Police SWAT team executed a search warrant at a property in Cave Junction and arrested Edrington and Forester. They were taken into custody and lodged in the Josephine County Jail on charges of murder, robbery, and theft. Family and friends of William Roberts, a husband and father, later protested outside the Josephine County Jail, demanding that the two accused of his murder be denied bail to ensure the safety of the community.
