A man suspected of killing five people at a rural Oregon property has been found dead in Washington state of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said on Sunday.
Benjamin Charles Parker, 36, was discovered inside a vehicle in Enumclaw, roughly 306 kilometres from the crime scene, a day after the bodies were found at a home in Forest Grove. Officers had responded to reports of a vehicle fire at the property on Saturday before uncovering the victims. Washington County Sheriff Caprice Massey said Parker knew the victims and that detectives do not believe the killings were a random act of violence. An unspecified number of domestic animals were also found killed at the home.
The incident marks at least the 16th mass murder in the United States this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Massey has urged anyone with information to contact authorities.