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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