Ongoing and exhaustive efforts by detectives from the Salem Police Department and detectives from the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office, yesterday led searchers to a remote Yamhill County area, approximately 10 miles west of the City of Yamhill. The area was searched by members of the Yamhill County Search and Rescue, Washington County Search and Rescue, McMinnville Fire Department, detectives from the Salem Police Department and the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office, members of the Yamhill City Police, the Oregon State Police, NORSAR (North Oregon Search and Rescue), and Mountain Wave Search and Rescue. They searched the heavily wooded and very remote area, for about two hours before locating two bodies.
The bodies were recovered with the assistance of the Oregon State Crime Lab and were sent to the Oregon State Medical Examiner for autopsy. Today, the bodies recovered were positively identified as Karissa and Billy Fretwell. Karissa’s cause of death was determined to be from a single gunshot to the head. Manner of death has been determined to be homicide. The cause and manner of the death of Billy, is yet to be determined, pending additional testing.
The investigation is continuing and anyone with information about this case is asked to contact the Salem Police Department or by leaving information on the Salem Police Department tip line at 503-588-6050.
Questions should be directed to the Yamhill County District Attorney’s Office at 503-434-7539.
