HILLSBORO, Ore- On August 7, 2024, Salvador Antonio Martinez-Romero pleaded guilty to murder in the first degree, three counts of attempted murder in the first degree, and four counts of robbery in the first degree. On August 13, 2024, Judge Brandon Thompson sentenced the defendant to life in prison with a minimum of 30 years served before parole eligibility on the murder conviction and nine years in prison on the remaining convictions. These sentences will be served consecutively. Senior Deputy District Attorneys John Gerhard and Allison Brown prosecuted this case.
On December 18, 2019, the defendant was under the influence of methamphetamine when he entered a grocery store in the Murrayhill area of Beaverton, Oregon, and purchased a large chef’s knife. He then walked into a bank located in the same shopping center, pulled out the knife, and demanded tellers give him cash.
The murder victim in this case, Janet Risch, was inside the bank to withdraw cash as Christmas gifts for her grandchildren when the defendant arrived. When the defendant did not receive money fast enough, he grabbed the murder victim’s adult daughter, Deb Thompson, from behind and slit her throat with his knife. After tellers handed him the cash, the defendant stabbed Ms. Risch in her in the back, causing fatal wounds. The murder victim’s adult daughter and the bank tellers tried to render aid. While unable to save her mother’s life, the murder victim’s daughter survived her wounds but was left permanently injured.
The defendant then fled the bank and confronted the third victim as he was leaving an area gym. He demanded the victim’s car, but he resisted. The defendant then stabbed this man in the chest which caused serious injuries. He fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle.
The defendant then drove to a residential area in Tigard, Oregon. He damaged the vehicle he had stolen and abandoned it. He saw the fourth victim approaching in her vehicle and flagged her down. When she stopped her car, the defendant stabbed her in the leg and torso, pulled her from the vehicle, and stole her car. Police caught up to the defendant, saw him ditch the second stolen vehicle, and saw him flee on foot. He was located near a high school campus and taken into custody. Officers found large amounts of cash stuffed down his pants and hidden under a nearby pile of leaves.
The Washington County District Attorney’s Office wishes to send our condolences to Ms. Risch’s family and to thank all of the involved victims for their strength throughout this process. This office also acknowledges the work of the Beaverton Police Department, the Tigard Police Department, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and all first responders who assisted on this case.
Photos of the victims have been shared with permission of the family
