Portland serial killer fears: Victims' parents speak out after 'career criminal' named as person of interest

The parents of three Portland women found dead this year are speaking out after police named a "career criminal" as a person of interest in their apparently linked murders.

Jesse Lee Calhoun, 38, has been named a person of interest in connection with the murders of four women: Kristin Smith, 22; Charity Lynn Perry, 24; Bridget Leann (Ramsay) Webster, 31; and Ashley Real, 22. Oregon authorities located their remains between February and May.

"I know she was murdered, and I have faith that the police department is going to piece this together, get that proof, and we’re able to get that justice for her and the other girls – if they are linked," Melissa Smith, Kristin Smith's mother, said in a video posted to Facebook on Wednesday, adding that police have not told her directly that the four cases are linked.

Melissa Smith said she is "very confident" in the homicide detective assigned to her daughter's case.

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Jesse Lee Calhoun, 38, has been named as a person of interest in connection with the murders of Kristin Smith, 22; Charity Lynn Perry, 24; Bridget Leann (Ramsay) Webster, 31; and Ashley Real, 22. (Multnomah County Sheriff's Office)

"I will never give up," she said.

The four victims' bodies were found in wooded areas within a 100-mile radius around Portland. 

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Jose Real, Ashley Real's father, told local news outlet KATU that something in his heart "is missing" since his daughter was found dead near Eagle Creek on May 7.

"It's very hard to live without her," he told the outlet through tears. "I cannot protect her. I [could] not be with her that day."

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Perry's mother, Diana Allen, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that she is in communication with a detective on the case.

Charity Perry after she won an award for spiciest chili in a competition. Perry's body was found on April 24, 2023, near a state park alongside the Columbia River, east of Portland, Oregon.  (Diana Allen/AP)

"I’m in the dark about a lot," Allen told AP. "But the detective and I understand why this is required. We don’t need anything messing up this investigation."

The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office previously described Calhoun as a "a prolific thief and career criminal" after he was sentenced in 2019 to four years in prison for burglaries in East Multnomah County. 

He was charged with three counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle, one count of assaulting a public safety officer and one count of first-degree burglary.

The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office previously described Jesse Calhoun, the person of interest in four deaths, as a "a prolific thief and career criminal" after he was sentenced in 2019 to four years in prison for burglaries. (Multnomah County Sheriff's Office)

Prior to Calhoun's arrest for the series of thefts, he was charged with illegal firearms possession, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, and possession of a controlled substance following a 2018 traffic stop. The traffic stop led to the recovery of a stolen car, modified firearms, more than 500 rounds of ammunition and 6 grams of methamphetamine, according to police.

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In 2021 then-Gov. Kate Brown commuted his sentence, along with those of 40 other prisoners. As prisoners, they had helped fight wildfires, and Brown released them after determining they did not present unacceptable safety risks to the public.

In 2021, then-Gov. Kate Brown commuted Jesse Calhoun's sentence, along with those of 40 other prisoners. (Meg Roussos/Bloomberg)

Upon hearing news that Calhoun was released early under Brown's leadership, Melissa Smith said she has "a lot of questions" and "a lot of concerns" regarding the former governor's decision.

"I really hope that going forward we can get more help here in Portland… with the police department in searching for missing persons, taking it more seriously in the beginning when they're reported missing," Smith said.

"And the homelessness – we need help. We need help with this. And getting drugs off the street," Smith said, adding that "it's never going to go away if we don't make a change."

Fox News' Michael Lee and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Audrey Conklin is a digital reporter for Fox News Digital and FOX Business. Email tips to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or on Twitter at @audpants.