Portland, O regon INSIDE: Our annual picks for the best in winter reading V. 13 no. 4 December 15, 1995 p a g e 21 .^ J K K S S S l- * ^ Community Grieves Two loving, exuberant Medford lesbians are slain. Family friends and other mourners share memories of Roxanne and Michelle and vow to continue their work. , by Inga Sorensen ROXANNE ELLIS H~ ,,. n., i55 lbs. 5 1°n hair - Blue eyes Light brown ha> M\CHELLE A® °'LL C3” 140 >BS- ox/es y Court or ..^versity or Oregon U b r eceived on: 08-12-96 ust out PHOTO BY UMM KUEWCR s we went to press, law en forcement officials announced they had arrested Robert James Acremant, 27, in Stock- ton, Calif., in the slayings of Roxanne Ellis and Michelle Abdill. John Bondurant, chief deputy district attorney for Jackson County, reportedly says there is no evidence indicating Acremant knew Ellis and Abdill were lesbians. Acremant moved to Medford with his mother three weeks ago from Visalia, C alif., and published reports say Acremant met Ellis on Nov. 27 when she showed him and his mother three rental homes. Police speculate that Acremant made arrangements to have Ellis show him one of the rentals again on Dec. A — the date the women were last seen alive. Acremant reportedly told his father he killed the two, and he is suspected of killing a friend in a separate incident in California. Acremant is being held at the San Joaquin County Jail. He is being held on an Oregon fugitive warrant pending a Dec. 19 grand jury hearing in Jackson County on charges of aggravated mur der. Our story takes a look at the contribu tions Ellis and Abdill made to their com munity. It also examines how people were affected immediately following news of the couple’s disappearance and subsequent deaths. A See page 17