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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 2002)
Page A2 (Pbevruer February 13, 2002 Sitie fflortlanh Qöhgmier P olice / V ancouver Four Charged in Tavern Robberies REW A RD $10,000 For information leading to the arrest and conviction in the murder of Melissa Bittler. Desiree Lamorte Darryel Lee Four people have been arrested and charged in a string of armed robberies at Portland area taverns. The suspects are identified as 43-year-old John Gregg Walter, 50-year-old John Whiley, 38-year- old Desiree Lamorte, and46-year- old Darryel Glenn Lee. They are accused of 10 tavern robberies between Oct. 22 and John Walter John Whiley Nov. 26. In the first eight robberies, de tectives believe that Whiley, who w orked as a taxi driver, and Lamorte walked through a tavern to scout out the tavern floor plan along with information about the number of patrons and employ ees. Police said W alter would then enter the tavern and commit an armed robbery, and exit the estab lishment by jumping into Whiley ’ s taxicab for a quick getaway. After W alter was taken into police custody, detectives believe Whiley, Lamorte, and Lee used the same method and handgun to commit two additional tavern rob beries. Roommate Killer to Serve 8 Years Murder Suspect black male, 33-50 years of age 5’9” to 6’, medium build, receding hairline On December 13th, 14-year-old Melissa Bittler was murdered near her home at the 4500 block of Northeast 35th Avenue in Northeast Portland. T he P o rtla n d P o lic e B u reau has re le a se d th is sk e tc h to help find M elissa’s killer, and a local chapter of CrimeStoppers is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to his capture and conviction. If you have seen this man or have information that could help lead to his arrest, please call Crim eStoppers or the Portland Police Department’s Tips Hotline. Callers do not have to give their nam es, and rew ards are paid in cash w ith no questions asked. Crimsstoppers 503-823-4357 Tips Hotline 503-823-4731 PUBLIC SERVE E ANNOUNCEMENT ER( )M 1 1 IE P( »R I I .AM ) ( »BSERV1 R M W SPARI R she turned herself in (AP) — A young and cooperated with woman has been sen investigators, law tenced to eight years in prison for the death yers said. Smith was found of her former room mate in what she said dead in his apartment near the Vancouver was an attempt to Mall on Feb. 4,2000, scare him into giving a few months after her money. Douglas moved out. Kimber Douglas, Police said the inves 23, o f Vancouver, Kimber Douglas tigation was stalled pleaded guilty to sec ond-degree murder in the death of until Douglas confessed to her Alex Smith, 19, received an un role 11 months later. usually short sentence because Police said Douglas told offic ers she and C hristopher Neil Ladner, a friend from the W ash ington State School for the Deaf, planned to scare Smith into giving them money when they took two loaded guns and a knife to his apartment. Instead, deputy prosecutor Mike Kinnie said, the situation “got out of hand real fast.” In a confession, Douglas said Ladner stabbed and shot Smith. Ladner is in prison until at least 2005 on an unrelated assault and has not been charged in the case. Chief Proposes Hiring Freeze and Staff Cuts (AP) — Portland Police Chief Mark Kroeker has proposed a hir ing freeze and the elimination of precinct desk clerks to deal with a $3 million shortfall this fiscal year. Kroeker would also cut some part-time and full-time staff. Firing the desk clerks would save an estimated $248,272 be tween now and the end of the fiscal year. It would also be the second time the chief has targeted civilian desk clerks within a year. In July, the bureau eliminated 21 of 46 front-desk clerk jobs, ef fectively reducing the hours that four of the bureau ’ s five precincts are open to the public. NEW S E A S O N S 4 I Getting rid o f the remaining 25 desk clerk jobs would further scale back precinct hours to a 6 p.m. closure on weekdays. “This has just kind o f stunned us here,” Northeast Precinct Cmdr. Derrick Foxworth said. “These cuts are deep, and they’re going to hurt us all.”
