On February 2, 2026, detectives with the Violent Crimes Unit made an arrest in connection with a suspicious death investigation, now deemed a homicide.
The investigation began on January 30, 2026, at a residence in the 4600 block of Dark Forest Place NE, when a woman, 70, of Salem, was found deceased under suspicious circumstances.
Aaron White, 43, of Salem, the son of the victim, was arrested and formally charged with Murder in the Second Degree. This marks the first murder case investigated by the Criminal Investigation Section in 2026.
Additionally, the second suspicious death investigation, in Wallace Marine Park, reported in the original media release, remains ongoing and no further details are available at this time. There is no ongoing threat to the public related to either of these investigations.
The Salem Police Department would like to thank the Oregon State Police Crime Lab for their assistance in processing evidence.
For further inquiries, please contact the Marion County District Attorney’s Office.
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SALEM, Ore. — Detectives with the Violent Crimes Unit and Felony Crimes Unit are investigating two separate unrelated suspicious death cases in Salem.
The first incident occurred on January 30, 2026, at approximately 1:10 p.m., when officers responded to a residence in the 4600 block of Dark Forest Place NE and found a woman deceased.
The second incident took place later that day at approximately 6:31 p.m. near Wallace Marine Park, where a woman was found deceased under suspicious circumstances.
Both investigations are ongoing. At this time, the incidents appear unrelated and there is no ongoing threat to the public.
For further inquiries, please contact the Salem Police Communications Office.
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