HAMMOND, Ore. (Oct. 22, 2026) — A 45-year-old man suspected of killing three people at a home in Happy Valley died by suicide Wednesday after law enforcement officers located him at a motel on the northern Oregon coast, authorities said.
Edward Jonathan Villa was found at a motel in Hammond, an unincorporated community near Warrenton in Clatsop County, on Oct. 21, a day after three people were found shot to death at a residence in Happy Valley.
According to a statement from law enforcement, members of the Clatsop County Street Crimes Unit, Warrenton Police Department, Oregon State Police and U.S. Marshals arrived at the motel around 1 p.m. Wednesday after locating Villa.
A U.S. Marshals team surrounded the property and attempted to take Villa into custody peacefully. Authorities said officers issued commands and deployed tactical resources to protect the surrounding community and responding personnel.
Villa ultimately died from a self-inflicted injury, authorities said. No additional details about the circumstances of his death were provided.
Investigators from the Clatsop County Street Crimes Unit, Warrenton Police Department and Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office subsequently processed the scene.
Authorities thanked nearby businesses and residents for their cooperation and patience during the operation. They also acknowledged assistance from the Warrenton Fire Department and Medix Ambulance.
The deaths have shaken the Happy Valley community, where one of the three homicide victims was identified by a state lawmaker as a North Clackamas high school student.
State Rep. April Dobson, a Democrat representing Happy Valley and northern Clackamas County, issued a statement Wednesday expressing grief over the killings and their impact on the community.
“Happy Valley is grieving three people killed in an act of domestic gun violence yesterday. The shooter later died by suicide, adding to the trauma our community is confronting. My heart is with the victims’ loved ones and everyone whose life has been changed by violence,” Dobson said.
Dobson specifically addressed the death of the student and the impact on classmates, teachers and friends.
“Among those killed was a North Clackamas high school student who should have had years of growing, discovery and possibility ahead. That loss is almost impossible to comprehend. I am heartbroken for the classmates, teachers and friends now facing an empty seat where a young person should be,” she said.
Dobson also urged the community to continue supporting those affected by the tragedy beyond the immediate aftermath.
“To everyone grieving and struggling to make sense of this horror: your sorrow is shared. Each person we lost was loved, and the people grieving them deserve our care and support long after today’s shock has faded.”
Authorities have not provided additional details about the circumstances leading up to the shootings or the relationship between Villa and the victims in the information released Wednesday.
The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the triple homicide.
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