2nd Murder Suspect Arrested In Wilsonville

WILSONVILLE, OR — U.S. Marshals on Wednesday arrested the second suspect wanted for the murder of 39-year-old Michael Zven Arch, formerly known as Reiner Ralph Schmolling, Jr.

Chad Brandon Pitcher, 38, was arrested in Wilsonville by the U.S. Marshals Violent Offender Fugitive Task Force. He's been lodged at the Washington County Jail on one count of murder, though other charges could be pending. According to Washington County Sheriff's spokesman Jeff Talbot, Pitcher attempted to escape while being taken into custody.

Pitcher and 40-year-old Newberg resident Christopher Jay Stephens (another suspect who was previously arrested) are accused of shooting and killing Schmolling, Jr. in the rural community of Mountaindale, roughly four miles north of North Plains, on Sept. 19. Whether both men shot Schmolling, Jr., or whether it was just one with the other assisting, is unclear at this time.

During Pitcher's arrest, Clackamas County deputies arrested 40-year-old Bobbi Jean Knight on one charge of hindering prosecution for helping hide the fugitive Pitcher. Knight remains in Clackamas County custody on $10,000 bail.

No motive for Schmolling's murder has been revealed by police at this time, but court records show Schmolling had a long history of criminal activity.

Before he changed his name to Arch, Schmolling, Jr. was infamous among law enforcement in the Portland metro region, and Hillsboro in particular, for shooting Washington County Detective Gary Jensen in 1997. During the same encounter, Hillsboro Police K9 Hondo was inadvertently shot and killed by another officer as they pursued Schmolling.

Hondo Dog Park, across the street from the Gordon Faber Recreational Complex and the Hillsboro Hops stadium, was named in honor of the slain police K9.

Schmolling, Jr. went on to commit several other felonies in the tri-county area over the years and according to some deputies became somewhat of a household name among police.

Schmolling, Jr.'s body was found around 5 p.m. at the Charles Schmidlin residence in the 16000-block of Northwest Dairy Creek Road. Along with a lack of motive, it's also still unclear why Schmolling, Pitcher, or Stephens were at the Schmidlin residence.

According to the Hillsboro Tribune, a local newspaper, Schmidlin appears to run some kind of cattle operation there. The Tribune also notes neighbors have complained about Schmidlin's cows wandering onto their properties.

Neighbors told the Tribune Schmidlin's home has been without electricity for months and that cows have been found grazing in nearby gardens. The home was formerly owned by Paul Schmidlin, Charles' father, who ran a dairy until the property was bequeathed to his children following his death in 2011, the Tribune reports. Since then, the southern portion of the property has been sold and the home has reportedly been occupied by Charles and upward of 14 other people at any given time.

Police have not confirmed whether Schmolling, Pitcher, or Stephens were any of those 14 people. Talbot told Patch the investigation is on-going.

Neighbors also told the Tribune that two shots rang out, possibly from a high-powered rifle, from the western side of the house the night of the shooting.

Another local news outlet, the Banks Post, reported additional police calls to the same area within two weeks of Schmolling, Jr.'s murder.

According to the Post, Washington County deputies were called twice on Sept. 6: Once for a reported altercation of some kind, and again after a woman said someone had been shooting at her home. No injuries were reported in either incident and no suspect information was given.

Talbot told the Tribune the property has been a hotbed of activity.

"We had a warrant arrest — everything, honestly," Talbot said. "We've been to the house multiple times for multiple reasons."

Stephens was arrested with help from U.S. Marshals during a traffic stop at Southwest Boones Ferry Road and Southwest Avery Street in Tualatin around 2:45 p.m. Sept. 28.

"At this time, we have all persons of interest in custody," Talbot told Patch Thursday afternoon.

Related Coverage on Patch.com:

• Man Killed Outside Home In North Plains Area Identified: Washington County Sheriff's Office (Sept. 20)
• Police Search For Suspect In North Plains Killing (Sept. 27)
• North Plains Murder Suspect Arrested, Police Say (Sept. 29)

Top Image: Chad Brandon Pitcher

Courtesy: Washington County Sheriff's Office