Murder Suspect Arrested In Tualatin Thursday: Police

TUALATIN, OR — After a four-day manhunt, a murder suspect from Crooked River Ranch was arrested in Washington County Thursday morning, Oregon State Police announced.

The manhunt began June 3 after Gavin David Smith-Brown, 29, was identified as the sole suspect in his mother's murder.

According to Oregon State Police, 65-year-old Gayla Smith was found murdered June 3 at the home she shared with Smith-Brown at Crooked River Ranch, a resort community in Jefferson County.

Smith-Brown was said to have ties to Portland and Las Vegas when the manhunt began.

Just after 3 a.m. on Thursday, Tualatin officers pulled over a stolen vehicle in the parking lot of a McDonald's at 19200 S.W. Boones Ferry Rd. in Tualatin.

Officers commanded the driver to exit the car, but he reportedly refused. While speaking to the driver, officers recognized him as Gavin Smith-Brown, according to Tualatin Police spokeswoman Jennifer Massey.

Negotiations ensued for the next couple hours while police tried to coax Smith-Brown out of his vehicle. They succeeded just before 6 a.m. and arrested Smith-Brown.

Following Smith-Brown's arrest, however, police reportedly used a tactical robot to remove an apparently suspicious item from the car, which they later detonated.

Massey said the item appeared to be "trinkets wrapped in tinfoil." It was detonated as a safety precaution, she said.

Image via Oregon State Police