Detectives got him to confess after two days of interrogation. A judge later ruled that confession couldn't be used — and the case that followed still ended in probation.
Homer Lee Jackson III, linked to the murders of four women and girls in Portland, Oregon, between 1983 and 1993, pleaded guilty in January 2022 to a plea deal that released him with time served. He was found dead at his home roughly a year and a half later, on July 18, 2023.
Decades Unsolved
The killings of Tonja Harry, 19; Angela Anderson, 14; Latanga Watts, 27; and Lawauna Triplet, 29, spanned a decade in North Portland and went unsolved for more than 30 years. All four women, identified by police as victims of sex trafficking, had been sexually assaulted and strangled or asphyxiated. Given Angela's age, we won't detail the specific circumstances of her death further here.
An Arrest Built on Forensic Evidence
Jackson was arrested in October 2015 after forensic evidence collected over the years pointed to him. Investigators questioned him over two days, during which he confessed to the killings. In October 2017, a judge ruled that confession inadmissible, finding Portland police had used coercive interrogation tactics to obtain it.
A Case Complicated by DNA
The physical evidence in the case was far from straightforward. DNA and epithelial samples recovered from several of the victims, including cigarette butts, clothing, and fingernail scrapings, produced mixed and often inconclusive results — some pointed toward Jackson, but much of it matched other, unidentified men instead. Charges related to a fifth suspected victim, Essie Jackson (no relation), were ultimately dropped in 2019 due to insufficient evidence, though prosecutors said Jackson remained a suspect in her death.
A Controversial Resolution
After roughly six and a half years in jail awaiting trial, Jackson pleaded guilty in January 2022 and was sentenced to time served plus three years of probation — a resolution that drew significant public criticism and anger from victims' families, given the severity of the crimes involved.
Death
Jackson was found dead at his Portland home on July 18, 2023, by his sister. Police said he had been ill and weighed between 75 and 80 pounds at the time of his death; no foul play was suspected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Homer Lee Jackson receive such a light sentence?
His confession was ruled inadmissible in 2017 due to coercive interrogation tactics, and much of the remaining forensic evidence was inconclusive or pointed to other individuals, weakening the case against him and leading to the eventual plea deal.
Was Jackson ever connected to other murders?
He was originally also charged in the death of Essie Jackson, though those charges were later dropped for insufficient evidence; prosecutors said he remained a suspect in her death.
How did Homer Lee Jackson die?
He died of an illness at his Portland home in July 2023; police did not suspect foul play.