FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
UPDATE: December 2, 2024 | 1115
Death investigation ruled homicide, suspect in custody
Apartment fire leads to suspicious death investigation
Update: Detectives arrested a California man for his role in the death of a Salem resident in his apartment early Saturday morning.
The victim, Kristopher Douglas Stokes was found deceased inside his dwelling unit after firefighters responded to a blaze at the apartment building. An autopsy performed by the State Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the cause of Stokes’ death as a homicide.
The investigation led detectives to a suspect in the case, David James Damon Alexander, age 45. Alexander was spotted in the 700 block of Commercial ST NE by a Salem Police officer. He was taken into custody without incident.
Alexander is lodged at the Marion County Jail on charges of second-degree murder and third-degree robbery.
No further information regarding the investigation which led to Alexander’s arrest is available for release.
The cause of the fire remains an ongoing investigation.
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ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED 12/01/2024 | 1330
Apartment fire leads to suspicious death investigation
Salem, Ore. — Salem Police detectives are currently investigating the death of a Salem man in a fire at residential apartment building yesterday, November 30.
At approximately 2:45 a.m. Saturday morning, Salem police and firefighters responded to an apartment fire in the 1100 block of Chemeketa ST NE. Personnel located a deceased 38-year-old man in one of the units.
Due to the suspicious nature of the victim’s death and origin of the fire, the incident is being handled by the Salem Police Violent Crimes Unit as a suspicious death investigation. Separately, the cause of the fire is being investigated in conjunction with the Salem Fire Department.
No further information is being released in either case.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: November 29, 2024
One deceased in single-vehicle crash on the parkway
Salem, Ore. — At approximately 7:30 a.m. today, officers and other emergency personnel responded to a collision on the Martin Luther King JR Parkway.
Witnesses reported the driver of a pickup truck traveling southbound slowly drove off the roadway after passing through the intersection at Broadway ST NE. The truck struck a tree and traveled back onto the roadway where the vehicle stopped. Passersby attempted to provide medical aid to the unresponsive driver before the arrival of paramedics.
The driver, 37-year-old Brett David Dhone of Canby, was transported to Salem Health where he later died.
The Traffic Team’s preliminary investigation indicates Dhone suffered a medical event prior to the collision.
The parkway was closed for approximately two hours between Liberty and Broadway STS NE with the assistance of an Oregon Department of Transportation traffic control crew.
The investigation into the collision is ongoing, and there are no other details available for release.
Today’s traffic incident is the twentieth fatal collision of 2024. In all, these collisions have resulted in 21 deaths, a marked increase when compared to the same time frame in 2023 which had 11 deadly crashes resulting in 12 fatalities.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
UPDATE: November 26, 2024 | 3:30 p.m.
Suspect now in custody
Police investigate stabbing incident as a homicide
Salem Police Violent Crimes Unit detectives arrested a Salem teenager today for his involvement in the death of Riley John Adams, age 19. Adams was critically injured in a July 27 stabbing incident at Wallace Marine Park and subsequently died from his injuries on August 19.
During the investigation, Salem Police detectives learned the stabbing incident resulted from a spontaneous dispute amongst youth gathered at the Wallace Marine Park boat ramp that July morning.
Today, Salem Police detectives from various units, with assistance from the SWAT team and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), served a search warrant at a residence associated with the 16-year-old male suspect in the case. The boy was detained without incident and lodged at the Yamhill County Juvenile Detention Center on the charges of second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon, the knife.
With the only suspect in the case now in custody, all further inquiries about this investigation should be directed to the Polk County District Attorney’s Office.
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Originally published 08/20/2024 | 3:00 p.m.
Police investigate stabbing incident as a homicide
Salem, Ore. — The Salem Police Violent Crimes Unit is investigating a stabbing incident that occurred in late July at Wallace Marine Park in west Salem.
At about 2:15 a.m. on July 27, patrol officers responded to the call of a victim with a stab wound who was in the south end of the park. Officers found a young adult with multiple stab wounds and provided emergency medical aid. Paramedics arrived and transported the victim to Salem Health.
The victim is identified as Riley John Adams, a 19-year-old Salem resident. Adams remained hospitalized and in critical condition until his death on Monday, August 19. The incident is being investigated as a homicide.
Anyone with information concerning what transpired that Saturday morning and led to Adams’ death is asked to call the Salem Police Tips Line at 503‑588‑8477.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: November 17, 2024
Two adults, three teens arrested in assault incident, weapon seized
Salem, Ore. — Salem Police arrested four teenagers and one adult early Sunday in an assault incident in northeast Salem.
At approximately 4:30 a.m. Sunday, a police officer en route to work observed five male subjects physically assaulting a man in the area of Market ST and Hawthorne AV NE. The suspects then quickly fled the area in a vehicle.
Salem officers responded in search of the suspect vehicle which was located about 20 minutes later by a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy near the intersection of Lancaster DR and Center ST NE.
The occupants of the involved vehicle were apprehended without incident. A handgun was located inside the vehicle and seized.
Horacio Chavez Soto, age 20, and Manuel Contreras Rivera, age 19, both of Salem were taken into custody. Both were lodged on the charge of riot, and each has since been released.
Three juveniles, two age 16 and one age 17, were detained and transported to the Marion County Juvenile Department. One 16-year-old boy faces charges of riot and unlawful possession of a weapon (the firearm). The other two teens are charged with riot.
All further inquiries into this investigation should be directed to the Marion County District Attorney’s Office.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: November 5, 2024
Driver dies in single vehicle collision
Driver's identity released
Update: 11/07/2024 | 1530
The driver in the Tuesday morning traffic fatality on Highway 22E is identified as John Ray Evans, 34, of Salem.
The incident remains an active investigation, and as such, no further information is currently available for release.
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Driver dies in single vehicle collision
Originally published: 11/05/2024 | 1400
Salem, Ore. — Just before 8:00 a.m. today, officers responded to a collision on Highway 22E near Milepost 4. Witnesses reported a car traveling eastbound drove off the roadway and crashed. Lifesaving measures for the male driver were attempted, but he was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The preliminary investigation by the Salem Police Traffic Team indicates the vehicle crossed over the eastbound on-ramp to Highway 22E and proceeded through a landscaped area and struck a tree. The man was the sole occupant of the vehicle.
The identity of the driver is not being released at this time pending family notifications.
Eastbound traffic on the highway was reduced to one lane and the eastbound on-ramp at Gaffin RD SE was closed for approximately three hours.
The investigation into the collision is ongoing, and there are no other details available for release.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: November 7, 2024
Detectives ask for help finding violent offender with warrants
Salem, Ore. — Salem Police Felony Crimes Unit detectives ask for the public’s help in locating a suspect with multiple warrants.
Arrest warrants on charges of first- and second-degree kidnapping have been issued for Javier Banuelos Munoz, Jr., age 44, of Salem in relation to several incidents of domestic violence. He also has an outstanding parole violation warrant from the Oregon State Parole Board.
Detectives have exhausted all efforts to locate Banuelos Munoz and request the public’s help with this case.
Banuelos Munoz is a Hispanic male adult with black hair and brown eyes. He is 5-foot, 8-inches in height and has a medium build. He generally wears his hair shaved with a beard. Banuelos Munoz also has various tattoos; the most prominent marking is on the right side of his neck and reads Munoz in script lettering.
Anyone with information about Banuelos Munoz’s whereabouts is asked to call the Salem Police Tips Line at 503-588-8477.
If you see Banuelos Munoz, call local police authorities, and refer to this wanted poster. Do not approach him. He is considered a violent offender with potential access to firearms.
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