John Ramsey Tainton-Platts, a 33-year-old White male, was tragically killed on August 28, 2015, in Eugene, Oregon, in what police determined to be a murder-suicide. Tainton-Platts, a professional photographer, was lured to a residence on McLean Boulevard under the pretense of a photo shoot with a woman. The meeting had been arranged earlier that week through electronic messaging.
Upon his arrival, he was shot and killed by 48-year-old Nicholas Hazel.
Hazel was the ex-husband of the woman Tainton-Platts was currently dating. Concerns about the location of the photo shoot had been expressed between Tainton-Platts and his girlfriend prior to his arrival, though the address provided in the appointment was different from Hazel's actual residence. When Tainton-Platts arrived, his vehicle was parked in a driveway that led to several homes, including Hazel's.
After fatally shooting Tainton-Platts, Hazel sent a text message to his ex-wife, confessing to the murder and stating his intention to kill himself. When police responded to reports of shots fired, they discovered Tainton-Platts mortally wounded in front of Hazel's home. Despite efforts by officers and medical personnel to save him, his injuries were fatal. A standoff ensued, and several hours later, police entered the home and found Hazel deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. No arrests were made as the sole suspect had taken his own life.
