Two Juveniles Acquitted in 2023 Charles Point Shooting that Left Two Dead

Medford, Oregon- Two juvenile males charged in connection with the December 2023 shooting at the Charles Point apartment complex in south Medford have been found not guilty following a week-long trial, the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday.

The verdict, issued by Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Charles Kochlacs, concluded a case that stemmed from a Dec. 3, 2023 incident in which Dontrell Manninen, 33, and Christian Torres, 26, died after exchanging gunfire inside an apartment.

Investigators determined Torres was “likely criminally culpable” for the events that night, and that the two men shot and killed each other during the confrontation.

According to investigators, a party was underway when several masked men entered the apartment. Torres, one of the masked men, confronted Manninen in the kitchen. Witnesses said Manninen drew his own gun in self-defense, sparking a struggle that ended with both men fatally wounded. Multiple firearms recovered at the scene were tested by the Oregon State Police Crime Lab, confirming each man killed the other.

Surveillance video showed two juveniles leaving the complex shortly after the shooting. Investigators said one of them fired several rounds into the refrigerator in an attempt to break up the fight, while the other, believed to be unarmed, also entered the apartment. Both are Grants Pass residents who were arrested Dec. 11, 2023, and charged with second-degree murder and first-degree burglary under Oregon’s felony murder statute. Prosecutors argued the pair entered unlawfully with Torres intending to commit assault or unlawful use of a weapon.

The trial began Aug. 4, 2025. On Aug. 7, after hearing prosecution witnesses, Judge Kochlacs dismissed charges against the unarmed juvenile, citing limited and conflicting testimony about his role. On Aug. 11, the judge acquitted the second juvenile, noting evidence that a resident may have allowed the group to enter, raising reasonable doubt about whether a burglary occurred.

Both juveniles were released from detention following the verdicts.

“This case was prosecuted by DDA Kelly Hager and Wade Hilsher,” the District Attorney’s Office said in its statement. District Attorney Patrick Green expressed disappointment, adding, “Our sincerest condolences to Mr. Manninen’s family and friends as they process this outcome and continue to mourn his death. We very much regret that we were not able to secure a better result for them in this case.”