On a late Saturday afternoon, the life of Robert Wardale Seeger, a 24-year-old African-American man, was tragically cut short. On February 4, 2006, at approximately 5:34 p.m., police responded to reports of gunfire at the intersection of Northeast Failing Street and Garfield Avenue in Portland, Oregon. Upon their arrival, they discovered Seeger lying on the sidewalk, having sustained a fatal gunshot wound.
Investigators believe he was most likely the victim of a robbery.
Witnesses at the scene provided a chilling account of the moments following the shooting. They reported seeing a group of five to six African-American men, all estimated to be in their 20s, fleeing the area. The suspects were described as wearing hooded coats with the hoods pulled up, and some may have had their faces obscured by bandannas. This group was seen running north on Northeast Rodney Street before getting into a silver minivan and continuing their escape northward.
Despite these initial leads, the case has remained unsolved for years. While detectives have indicated they were close to a breakthrough at one point and suspected the death may have been drug-related, no definitive evidence has led to an arrest. The identities of the men seen fleeing the scene remain unknown, and no suspects have been publicly named or taken into custody in connection with the murder of Robert Wardale Seeger. The case is now considered a cold case, with authorities still appealing to the public for any information that might lead to an arrest.
