On a summer day in June of 2016, the quiet rural landscape of Woodburn, Oregon, was shattered by an act of violence that claimed the lives of three people, including 30-year-old Katie Gildersleeve, a Caucasian female. The tragic events unfolded on June 27, 2016, at a blueberry farm on Killiam Loop NE, leaving a community in shock and a family grappling with a sudden and senseless loss.
Gildersleeve, who was visiting the farm, was caught in a deadly shooting that also took the lives of
Ruben Rigoberto-Reyes, 60, and Edmundo Amaro-Bajonero, 26. A fourth person was critically injured but survived the attack. The incident prompted a large-scale response from law enforcement, who quickly identified a suspect and launched a manhunt.
Within hours of the shooting, police apprehended 29-year-old Bonifacio Oseguera-Gonzalez. He was taken into custody without incident on Interstate 84, about 80 miles northeast of Woodburn. Oseguera-Gonzalez, who was known to frequent the property where the shooting occurred, was subsequently charged with three counts of aggravated murder and one count of attempted murder.
During questioning by authorities, Oseguera-Gonzalez admitted to carrying out the shootings. Despite his confession to law enforcement, he initially pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him in Marion County Superior Court. The motive for the devastating attack was not immediately clear to investigators. Reports indicated that Oseguera-Gonzalez was a Mexican national who had been deported from the United States six times prior to the incident.
Ultimately, the legal proceedings against Bonifacio Oseguera-Gonzalez concluded with him being found guilty of the murders. However, he was found to be "guilty except for insanity." This verdict meant that while he was held responsible for the deaths, the court determined that he was suffering from a severe mental disease or defect at the time of the killings. As a result of this finding, Oseguera-Gonzalez was placed under the jurisdiction of the Oregon Psychiatric Security Review Board and committed to the Oregon State Hospital for custody, supervision, and treatment.
