Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (April 20, 2022)
NEWS MyEagleNews.com Wednesday, April 20, 2022 A5 Friends, family saw warning signs By GARRETT ANDREWS The Bulletin BEND — The warning signs were there, and many of those in her circle of fam- ily and friends could see that Amara Marluke was in an abusive relationship, her mother says. The Portland State Univer- sity freshman gave Keenan Reece Harpole, her on-again, off -again boyfriend and for- mer star athlete from Bend, repeated second chances, even after he struck her ear- lier this year. She didn’t go to police or school offi cials. “Mara tried to end it mul- tiple times, but she kept going back, unfortunately,” said Marluke’s mother, Amy, using a nickname for her daughter. “We’d all seen the warning signs — her friends, her family — we were all try- ing to make sure she never went back to him.” Ever since her daughter was found shot in an apparent homicide early April 4 just off the PSU campus, Amy Mar- Marluke Harpole luke has heard an outpour- ing from friends and relatives who say they saw the same things. Harpole, 20, a Mountain View High School graduate, has been charged in her kill- ing and is being held with- out bail in the Multnomah County Detention Center. At a short arraignment hearing Thursday, April 14, he entered pleas of not guilty to murder and a weapons charge . The shooting was reported around 1 a.m. April 4 outside a convenience store near the PSU campus. The shooting location is directly between Marluke’s apartment and her workplace, her mother said. Seven hours later, Harpole was arrested on property his family owns outside Bend, a drive of more than three hours from Portland. Police have not released a suspected motive or other information in the killing, but in Harpole’s indictment, prosecutors call it domestic violence. Harpole was Marluke’s fi rst boyfriend, her mother said. In high school, Amara said she wasn’t interested in dating. It could have been the gulf in maturity level of the average high school student and Amara, who was wise beyond her years in many ways. “Because he was her fi rst boyfriend, I think that helped contribute to making her feel like he was the only one who would accept her fully,” Amy Marluke said. Amara Marluke spent years recovering from child- hood trauma. She lived with her biolog- ical mother and younger sib- lings until age 6, when the state placed the children in foster care. At 9, she and her younger sister joined the fam- ily of Amy and Brad Marluke, a Beaverton tech consultant and carpenter with a 2-year- old son. “It was the hardest time in my life, I’m not going to lie,” Amy Marluke said. “I think I was prepared for it to be challenging, but what I didn’t expect was how much we would have to change, as well.” Years were spent devel- oping academic skills, learn- ing healthy boundaries and working with therapists to heal some of the old wounds Amara Marluke had suff ered. It wasn’t easy but she went from being two years behind in school to graduating with honors at age 18. She earned a scholarship at PSU and at the time of her death, was leaning toward pursuing a career in music or art therapy . She met Harpole while doing laundry. They lived on the same fl oor of the Uni- versity Pointe student apart- ments just off campus. At the time, he was a running back on the PSU football team. There were other warn- ing signs in their relationship, clearer now in retrospect, Amy Marluke said. Harpole never wanted to meet his girl- friend’s parents. A date and time would be set to meet, but at the last minute, he’d “freak out” and cancel. But after he hit Amara, Harpole was intent on meeting her parents. But by this point, the family wasn’t interested, Amy Mar- luke said. “We had no interest in meeting him because we were trying to make sure that she stayed far away from him,” Amy Marluke said. “He defi nitely was a big fan of manipulation.” Bend-based relatives of Harpole’s did not return calls seeking comment Thurs- day. On Monday, one of Har- pole’s relatives was among 10 witnesses who testifi ed to a Multnomah County grand jury. Witnesses also included a medical examiner, a fellow PSU student and several Port- land police offi cers. Harpole has retained defense attorney Benja- min Kim, who declined to comment. Brad Marluke’s employer, Green Hammer Design-Build, has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for funeral expenses. It’s been so suc- cessful, the family is discuss- ing a possible scholarship at PSU. When she was young, Amara sought to help other kids who grew up in the fos- ter system. In high school, she became passionate about racial justice after joining the Black Student Union at Sun- set High School, where she thrived among students with similar life experiences. So it’s likely she would have gone on to fi ght for vic- tims of domestic violence, her mother said. “While this was not one of the causes of her heart, I think it would have been, had she gotten out of that relation- ship,” her mother said. “So we are going to be fi ghting that on her behalf.” April 9 7:29 a.m.: Responded for a 91-year-old male with a possible heart attack on Northwest Bridge Street. 5:13 p.m.: 911 phone call for an 82-year-old male with a cath- eter issue at Valley View Assisted Living. April 10 12:02 p.m.: Patient transfer to St. Charles Medical Center in Bend. April 11 12:08 p.m.: John Day Ambu- lance and Grant County Sher- iff’s Office dispatched for a mental subject on Pine Creek Road in John Day. 3:10 p.m.: John Day and Prairie City Ambulance dis- patched for a male subject with shortness of breath on Highway 26. 7:06 p.m.: John Day and Long Creek Ambulance responded to report of an 89-year-old female with an injured hip on Highway 395. 8:24 p.m.: John Day Ambu- lance and Grant County Sher- iff responded to a report of an 81-year-old woman who fell and was bleeding from the head at Bare Bones in John Day. 9:58 p.m.: John Day and Prai- rie City Ambulance responded to a report of an 80-year-old female in need of a lift assist on Over- holt Avenue in Prairie City. April 12 8:53 a.m.: John Day and Prai- rie City Ambulance dispatched for a non-emergency transport at Blue Mountain Care Center in Prairie City. 2:00 p.m.: John Day Ambu- lance transport to Grant County Airport in John Day. 6:36 p.m.: Responded to a 911 call regarding a 91-year-old female with chest pains on North Humbolt Street in Canyon City. • Long Creek Ambulance April 11 7:06 p.m.: Long Creek and John Day Ambulance respond to a report of an 89-year-old female with an injured hip on Highway 395. • John Day Fire April 8 4:20 a.m.: Responded to a 911 call of a field on fire on Highway 395 South, milepost 7/8C. COPS AND COURTS Arrests and citations in the Blue Mountain Eagle are taken from the logs of law enforcement agencies. Every eff ort is made to report the court disposition of arrest cases. Grant County Sheriff The Grant County Sheriff ’s Offi ce reported the following for the week ending April 13: Concealed handgun licenses: 7 Average inmates: 14 Bookings: 4 Releases: 2 Arrests: 1 Citations: 3 Fingerprints: 5 Civil papers: 11 Warrants processed: 2 Asst./welfare check: 1 April 11 Susan Mitchell, 57, of Red- mond was cited for driving while uninsured. A juvenile was cited for driv- ing while uninsured and operating a vehicle without a license. April 13 Philomena Dutcher, 38, of Dayville was cited for improper use of 911. Justice Court The Grant County Justice Court reported the following activ- ity for the week ending April 13: Persons on probation: 44 Traffi c citations fi led: 14 Small claims/civil fi led: 2 Eviction judgements in favor of plaintiff : 1 Hearings held: 7 Dog as a public nuisance: Rob- ert H Bryant, 46, April 4, fi ned $265. Exceeding the speed limit: Ronald James Salazar, 34, Prai- rie City, Feb. 24, 89/65 zone, fi ned $440; Adam Kenneth Sullivan, 47, Idaho Falls, March 9, 59/30 zone, fi ned $265. Failure to comply with special bobcat regulations: Nicholas Wil- liam Barker, 46, fi ned $115. Placing off ensive substances in waterway: Kyle Lee Hand, 31, fi ned $440. Dispatch Grant County dispatch worked 154 calls during the week ending April 13, including: • Oregon State Police April 6 4 p.m.: Advised of a driving complaint on Highway 26, mile- post 165. April 11 11:37 p.m.: Received a report of a semi-truck slide-off on High- way 395 North, milepost 79/80. April 12 9:01 a.m.: Received a report of a non-injury accident on Highway 395 North, milepost 93B. • Grant County Sheriff ’s Offi ce April 6 3:36 p.m.: Responded to motor vehicle accident on Highway 395 South. Units stood down, accident in Harney County. 8:06 p.m.: Responded to mul- tiple calls of a large hog on the highway on Highway 26, milepost 142/143. April 7 6:36 a.m.: Received a call of a car stolen on West Bench Road in John Day. 12:36 p.m.: Traffi c stop on Highway 395 South, milepost 2C. Driver warned. 1:43 p.m: Responded to a theft on South Bridge Street in John Day. 8:51 p.m.: Conducted wel- fare check on North Ingle Street in Mount Vernon. 9:27 p.m.: Responded to reports of a fi re at Canyon Moun- tain Trail Road 218. April 8 12:08 a.m.: Responded to an alarm on West Main Street in John Day. 8:10 a.m.: Warrant service attempt in Dayville. 8:59 a.m.: Advised of a tres- passing complaint on Indian Creek Road in John Day. 9:02 a.m: Responded to a non-speaking 911 call from an out- of-service cellphone in the 2150 Road area. 1:49 p.m.: Responded to a 911 call regarding a mental subject on Highway 26, milepost 182. 2 p.m.: Cited Susan Rae Mitchell, 57, Redmond for speed- ing on Highway 26, milepost 158. 8:42 p.m.: Responded to a juvenile problem on Patterson Drive in Canyon City. 9:58 p.m.: Responded to a noise complaint on Southwest Hillcrest in John Day. April 9 8:16 a.m.: Responded to a domestic dispute on South Canyon Boulevard in John Day. 11:48 a.m.: Advised of an ongoing domestic issue on West Franklin Street in Dayville. 1:18 p.m.: Responded to a civil issue on North McHaley Street in Prairie City. 3:03 p.m: Responded to report of menacing on Lower Yard Road in John Day. 4:56 p.m.: Responded to a report of a dispute on Lower Yard Road in John Day. April 10 5:45 a.m.: Responded to a report of domestic abuse at Blue Mountain Lodge in Mt. Vernon. Julien Christopher Hunter, 39, of Redmond was arrested. 6:58 a.m.: Responded to a report of domestic abuse at Mead- owbrook Apartments, John Day. 10:27 a.m.: Received a report of a possible restraining order vio- lation on North McHaley Avenue in Prairie City. 10:56 a.m.: Advised of a report of criminal mischief at Smokey Creek Ranch in Dayville. 6:15 p.m.: Responded to a domestic dispute in Kimberly. 8:39 p.m.: Report of a suspi- cious subject on South Canyon Boulevard in John Day. 11:59 p.m.: Responded to a call of shots fi red on River Lane in John Day. April 11 7:49 a.m.: Report of an attempted theft at Grant County Fairgrounds. 7:53 a.m.: Arrested Christo- pher Hoppe, 38, of Mt. Vernon on a Grant County felony warrant on Ingle Street in Mt. Vernon. 8:25 a.m.: Responded to a report of a juvenile problem on Patterson Drive in Canyon City. 8:50 a.m.: Conducted a wel- fare check on North Johnson Street in Prairie City. 12:02 p.m.: Report of a road hazard on Highway 395 South, milepost 11C. 12:42 p.m.: Responded to a report of an unwanted subject at Chester’s in John Day. 1:43 p.m.: Report of unautho- rized entry of a motor vehicle at Grant Union High School. 1:45 p.m.: Report of an aban- doned vehicle on Northwest Third Avenue in John Day. 2:36 p.m.: Report of an open door. Welfare check conducted on Northeast Dayton Street in John Day. 5:16 p.m.: Report of fraud on North Humbolt Street in Canyon City. TOM CHRISTENSEN CHRISTENSEN TOM CONSTRUCTION (541) 410-0557 • (541) 575-0192 CCB# 106077 REMODELS • NEW CONSTRUCTION • POLE BUILDINGS CONCRETE EXCAVATION • SHEET ROCK • SIDING ROOFING • FENCES • DECKS • TELESCOPING FORKLIFT SERVICES ...for your donations to the John Day Golf Club’s annual fundraiser! Eddie & Margy McCrary John Day True Value Hardware Snaffle Bit Dinner House • Terry & Lynda Farrell Nydam’s Ace Hardware Squeeze-In Restaurant & Deck Clay & Rose Tanler • 1188 Brewing Co. Roy Densberger • Red Rock Meats Grubsteak Mining Co./The Ugly Truth Chauncy Grover • John Day Polaris Pioneer Feed & Farm Supply • Russ Young 6:40 p.m.: Welfare check con- ducted at the Depot RV Park in Prairie City. 6:56 p.m.: Advised of a theft on South Humbolt Street in Can- yon City. April 12 11:53 a.m.: Received a report of horses laying in a fi eld some- what lethargic on Highway 26 milepost 137. 12:44 p.m.: Received a report of possible disorderly conduct at the Grant County Fairgrounds. 2:13 p.m.: Received 911 call regarding a civil issue on North McHaley Street in Prairie City. 3:19 p.m.: Report of a suicidal subject in Prairie City. 3:19 p.m.: Philomena Dutcher, 38, of Dayville was cited for mis- use of 911 in Prairie City. 6:15 p.m.: Assisted a motor- ist at Highway 26 and Apple Road. 6:56 p.m.: Responded to a report of trespassing at Riverside Mobile Home Park, John Day. April 13 8:06 a.m.: Received a report of animal abuse on Running Buck Road in in Long Creek. 9:18 a.m.: Report of multi- ple vehicles off the road on Dixie Summit. 1:13 p.m.: Performed a wel- fare check on animals in Mount Vernon. • John Day Ambulance April 7 5:12 p.m.: Responded to a 911 cellphone call on Silvers Lane in Mt. Vernon. April 8 6:42 a.m.: Responded for an 81-year-old female with confusion and a lack of coordination at Blue Mountain Care Center in Prairie City. Sponsor: S275526-1
