In the late summer of 1969, a tragedy unfolded in Portland, Oregon, that would claim the life of Gail Snelling, a 27-year-old woman, and her mother. On the night of September 1st, or in the early hours of September 2nd, a man named Douglas Wright entered their home and ended both of their lives. The horror of that night was compounded by another act of violence; after the murders, Wright did not leave empty-handed.
He took Gail's five-year-old son with him, adding kidnapping to his list of heinous crimes.
The grim discovery was made on the afternoon of September 4th, when the bodies of the two women were found inside the residence. The discovery immediately launched a search for the missing boy and a hunt for the person responsible for the brutal slayings. The investigation soon led authorities to Douglas Wright as the primary suspect in the murders and the abduction of the child.
As the investigation intensified, another man, Richard Sheldon Clifford, became entangled in the case. Authorities learned that Wright had visited Clifford's home in the days following the murders. When questioned by police on September 5th, Clifford lied, denying that he had seen Wright. This deception led to his own legal troubles. While not involved in the murders themselves, his attempt to mislead the police and potentially aid the offender resulted in his conviction as an accessory after the fact. His lie to law enforcement, a deliberate act to conceal his contact with the killer, was deemed a sufficient act of aiding the fugitive.
