news
Vaughn’s Family Nightmare
Lack of information from law enforcement upsets grandmother
by brian Stimson
A
Multnomah County grand jury
today indicted Parrish Bennette Jr.
on one count of murder with a
firearm and one count of manslaughter in
the first degree with a firearm, and the teen
was set to be arraigned by this afternoon.
The indictment documents reveal nothing
about the evidence against Benette, only
listing the people who testified before the
grand jury including his father, Vaughn’s
mother Shaquita Louis, and nine other peo-
ple.
In an exclusive, joint interview with The
Skanner News and KOIN News 6, the
not giving us anything to say that she is.”
Much of the information she holds comes
from media reports. She says the police and
prosecutors at the Multnomah County
District Attorney’s office have not been par-
ticularly forthcoming with information
about the pace of the investigation.
“Right now we’re just sitting in limbo, we
don’t know anything, the questions we’ve
asked we don’t get a response,” she said.
In the weeks following Vaughn’s disap-
pearance, Hayes said the outpouring of
community support has been tremendously
helpful. The pain of the tragedy is still
affecting everyone in the family.
“We’re just … it’s just a strain on every-
body,” she said. “Still in
shock. But we’re coping…
Nights are sleepless, days
are busy monitoring my
emails and all the stuff that
the community has been
doing for the search for
Shanee.”
The help also comes
with headaches, as there
are people who claim to
speak for the family, while
they in fact do not. During a city council
meeting Wednesday, after Dan Saltzman
held a moment of silence for Vaughn, a
woman came up to speak “for” Vaughn.
Her name was Linda McKinney, purport-
edly from an organization called “Christians
Against Racism.” No one in the immediate
‘Still in shock. But we’re coping…
Nights are sleepless, days are
busy monitoring my emails and
all the stuff that the community
has been doing for the search’
grandmother of Yashawnee Vaughn said
she’s still holding out hope that the 14-year-
old will be found alive.
“I have no reason to believe that she’s
dead,” Reynelda Hayes said. “I don’t have
any proof for sure … If she is supposed to
be dead, how can they prove that? They’re
family had met McKinney
before her testimony.
Hayes said that to her
knowledge,
Parrish
Bennette, 16, and Vaughn
were only friends at the time
of her disappearance.
Bennette has been charged
but not yet indicted for
manslaughter in the death
and is being held at the
Donald E. Long Juvenile
Detention Home.
The two had dated about a
year ago, but that had
ended. She was not aware of
any times that Bennette had
been violent with Vaughn.
When
asked
about
Bennette’s gang involve-
ment, Hayes said Vaughn
never talked about it at
Hayes’ house, where she
lived, nor did she ever talk
about the gang involvement
of anyone she knew.
The most important part of the case mov-
ing forward for Hayes is to have Vaughn
returned home. She encouraged people to
come forward with any information that
leads to the discovery of Vaughn.
“If you don’t want to say anything, at least
tell us where she is,” she said. “You can be
anonymous, don’t give details, just tell us
where she is, so we can get her so she can
come back home.”
Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000
reward to any significant information that
helps the investigation. Those providing
information can remain anonymous. Crime
Stoppers can be reached at 503-823-HELP.
The family has also established the
Yashanee Vaughn Search Fund at US Bank
to help with search costs not handled by
police.
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Page 12 The Portland Skanner april 13, 2011