ROGUE RIVER, Ore. (Jun. 27, 2026) — An 80-year-old Wimer man has been arrested on a second-degree murder charge after authorities say he fatally shot a woman during a domestic violence incident early Saturday in rural Jackson County.
According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, emergency dispatchers received a call at approximately 12:35 a.m. Saturday, June 27, from a man who reported that he had shot a woman during a domestic violence altercation.
Deputies responded to a residence in the 1900 block of Sykes Creek Road near Rogue River, where they took the suspect into custody without incident.
The victim was identified as Onalea Clay, 59, of Wimer. Sheriff’s officials said next of kin have been notified. Investigators confirmed Clay and the suspect were involved in a domestic relationship.
Authorities identified the suspect as Norman Henry Chapman, 80, of Wimer. He has been charged with second-degree murder. After being medically cleared for confinement at a local hospital, Chapman was lodged in the Jackson County Jail.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation with assistance from the Jackson County Major Assault Death Investigation Unit (MADIU). The Oregon State Police Forensics Laboratory processed the crime scene.
Additional agencies assisting with the investigation include the Oregon State Police, Medford Police Department, and Ashland Police Department.
MADIU is comprised of detectives from the Oregon State Police, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Medford Police Department, Central Point Police Department, Ashland Police Department, and the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office.
Investigators have not released additional details about the circumstances leading up to the shooting, and the investigation remains ongoing.
All suspects are believed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law
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