April 15, 2016 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com • 3A
Inside a Seaside apartment, a gruesome scene
Prosecutors believe
toddler and her brothers
were tortured
By Kyle Spurr
EO Media Group
In the months before Evan-
gelina Wing was murdered,
prosecutors believe the 2-year-
old and her brothers were tor-
tured, burned, bitten and caged
in the Seaside apartment their
mother shared with a boy-
friend.
Blood spatter was found in
almost every corner, staining
holiday decorations and the
wall behind a Christmas tree.
The gruesome scene un-
covered when the toddler was
found dead in December 2014
is being described as among
the worst child-abuse cases in
Clatsop County.
Randy Lee Roden, 28, the
live-in boyfriend of Dorothy
Wing, the children’s mother, is
accused of torturing and mur-
dering Evangelina Wing. An
autopsy found the toddler ap-
parently died from blunt-force
trauma.
Roden is also accused of
abusing the two brothers, Pat-
rick Wing, now 3, and Peydon
Kahclamat-Harding, now 7.
The boys are living with fami-
ly in California.
A two-day hearing in ear-
ly April in Clatsop County
Circuit Court addressed the
defense lawyers’ request to
dismiss the case or at least ex-
clude evidence, including the
adult-sized bite marks found
on the three children, the blood
spatter in the apartment and
the use of the term “torture.”
Many of the defense law-
yers’ tactics were viewed by
prosecutors as Hail Mary at-
tempts to throw out the case
before the trial begins in Sep-
tember.
“The defense wants to san-
itize this case,” Clatsop Coun-
JOSHUA BESSEX/EO MEDIA GROUP
Defense attorney Conor Huseby leads Randy Roden away after a hearing at Clatsop County
Courthouse in February 2015.
ty Chief Deputy District At-
torney Ron Brown said. “We
need those details.”
Judge Paula Brownhill
said she will take the argu-
ments and testimony into con-
sideration and make a ruling
within the next few weeks.
Roden, who is facing the
death penalty if convicted,
watched the hearing via video
link from prison, where he is
serving an eight-year sentence
for violating probation from
a previous domestic violence
conviction. At one point, he be-
came agitated with defense law-
yers Conor Huseby and Robert
Axford, and had to be muted.
“I can’t believe you are
Àipping a coin and throwing
my life away,” he said.
Expert testimony
The prosecution called
¿ve expert witnesses Clatsop
County Medical Examiner
JoAnn Giuliani; Deputy State
Medical Examiner Clifford
Nelson; Oregon State Police
forensic scientist Chrystal
Bell; Cathleen Lang, who
Roden’s lawyers are
basing their case on
their expert’s claims that
the children’s injuries
were from a dangerous
flesh-eating virus.
specializes in child abuse pe-
diatrics; and Richard Fixott, a
forensic odontologist.
The defense did not call
any witnesses, claiming their
expert — Janice Ophoven, a
pediatric forensic pathologist
— was unavailable. Roden’s
lawyers are basing their case
on Ophoven’s claims that the
children’s injuries were from
a dangerous Àesh-eating virus
known as methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus infec-
tion. She says the toddler like-
ly died from complications of
the infection, rather than from
blunt-force trauma. The two
brothers also showed signs of
the infection, she said.
Because signs of the in-
fection were never investi-
gated, the defense wants Ro-
den’s case dismissed.
“In failing to do any
meaningful testing to con-
¿rm the presence of a mas-
sive and deadly bacterial in-
fection in this case, the state
has failed Mr. Roden and put
his life in jeopardy,” his law-
yers wrote in a court ¿ling.
Graphic evidence
At the hearing, state ex-
perts said the infection was
present on the children,
but did not account for the
physical abuse and broken
bones. Court documents re-
veal Evangelina Wing was
found with injuries around
her entire body, including
two black eyes, a broken
arm, bruises over her entire
face and chest and hemor-
rhaging around her head.
Patrick Wing had a broken
bone in his pelvic region and
extensive bruising. Peydon
Kahclamat-Harding made
statements to doctors about
people lighting paper on ¿re
in his nose and ears.
“The defense has a novel
theory that Evangelina Wing’s
death was caused by MRSA,”
prosecutors wrote in a court
document. “This is made up
from whole cloth. They are
trying to whitewash the ter-
rible physical evidence that
exists.”
Peydon, who was 5 at the
time, told investigators “they
chained him and locked him
in a cage like a dog.” Inves-
tigators found a metal bed
frame that was barred on the
sides in the hallway, and pos-
sibly used as a cage. In addi-
tion, investigators believe the
crawl space in the apartment
may have been used to trap
the children.
Chrystal Bell, who doc-
umented the bloodstain evi-
dence at the scene, testi¿ed
there was blood spatter in
every room, including on
holiday decorations and on
the wall behind a Christmas
tree. The ¿ndings told her the
blood was in Àight and likely
came from people of “shorter
stature.”
Bell said the spatter in the
bathroom was not consistent
with a story Roden told police
about Evangelina falling from
the toilet onto a child’s plastic
potty.
Prosecutors say the case
relies heavily on the graphic
evidence and expert opinion,
since there are no eyewitness-
es other than the children and
defendants.
Dorothy Wing, 26, plead-
ed guilty earlier this year to
¿rst-degree
manslaughter
and two counts of ¿rst-degree
criminal mistreatment. She
was sentenced to more than
15 years in prison, contingent
on her truthfully testifying at
Roden’s trial.
The prosecution believes
the evidence points to Ro-
den, while the defense says it
points to Wing.
Both Roden and Wing told
investigators about incidents
where Evangelina fell com-
ing from a bus stop, fell off
of a toilet and got in tussles
with her brothers. Before her
sentencing, Wing said, she
wished she never left her chil-
dren with Roden.
discovering a door had been ajar
all night was relieved to learn
nothing was missing and there
was no sign of a break in.
children riding around loose in
the back of a pick up truck. Police
are unable to locate the vehicle.
2:31 p.m. Third Avenue: Caller
reports possible domestic vio-
lence overheard over the phone
when talking to a client. Police
checking learn a wife was holler-
ing at her husband about a pile
of items about to topple over. No
crime was committed.
11:58 a.m. Broadway and Edge-
wood: Caller reports concern for
a dog locked in a vehicle. Police
check on the dog, which seems
fine. Police will return to recheck
the dog’s condition.
Intellectually
disabled?
Roden has pleaded not
guilty to 15 charges. He is ac-
cused of aggravated murder
for the intentional maiming
or torture of the toddler and
having a pattern and practice
of assault.
His defense lawyers ar-
gued at the hearing this week
that he does not qualify for the
death penalty because he is
intellectually disabled. They
explained how the Georgia
native was held back in grade
school and never graduated
high school. When he lived
with Dorothy Wing, the de-
fense said, he gave her his
money because he was unable
to pay bills on time and han-
dle his ¿nances.
The defense said he al-
ways relied on Wing, and did
not know the children needed
medical attention.
“The defendant in this case
suffers from an inability to
function in day-to-day life,”
the lawyers wrote.
If Roden was mentally dis-
abled, the prosecutors said,
they would agree he would
not be eligible for the death
penalty. But prosecutors do
not believe he is mentally dis-
abled.
Prosecutors noted he did
poorly in school because of
his bad behavior and delin-
quency. As an adult, they say,
he held a high-paying job
working on bridges, including
the Astoria Bridge.
“He was a user (of wom-
en),” Deputy District Attorney
Dawn Buzzard said. “That’s
how he was able to get by.”
SEASIDE POLICE LOG
12:50 a.m., 400 block Second
Avenue: Caller reports a man
making his way down the street
kicking cars. Officers are unable
to locate the subject.
3:23 a.m., 700 block Avenue S:
Caller reports two subjects rifling
through garbage behind a store.
Officers are unable to locate
subjects.
11:37 p.m., N. Roosevelt: Caller
reported to police “creepy people
with kids” hanging out by the
outlet mall. Police responded,
and found nothing unusual.
March 26
8:53 a.m. UNK: Police receive
a 911 call that was apparently
a pocket dial. Male and female
voices, it was noted, were “chat-
ting away.” On call back, voice
mail was not set up.
10:06 p.m. N. Promenade: Teens
reported drinking and making a
ruckus dispersed before police
arrived.
March 27
10:44 p.m., N. Holladay Drive: A
confused elderly person was giv-
en a ride back to their residence
by patrolling police officers.
person who is throwing garbage
in somebody else’s cans. The
complained about person is
contacted and advised.
1:12 p.m., S. Holladay: Caller
reports people living in a crawl
space.
15:21 p.m., S. Columbia: A man
yelling at his dog is reported to
the police by a caller who said
a man was yelling at a woman.
Police responding to the call said
only a man and his dog were on
scene.
March 31
1:00 a.m., Turnaround: A large
noisy party on the beach was
asked to keep it down.
8:38 a.m., Fifth and Necanicum:
Some people sleeping in their RV
were advised of the No Camping
laws within the city limits.
11:53 a.m., S. Holladay: Caller
reports a woman sitting at the
end of a private driveway who
did not seem to be in distress;
officers made contact with the
woman who said she would get
moving.
7:37 p.m., N. Holladay Drive:
Mother reports son has not
come home at the designated
time; son is located shortly after
at the Astoria Column. 
March 28
2:47 p.m., Avenue A: An elderly
man reported to be having a
problem driving was reported
by a caller to the police. Police
were unable to locate the man
and there was no evidence of his
trouble driving.
March 29
12:44 a.m., Duane Street: An
individual sought on a warrant
was arrested.
5:08 p.m., S. Columbia and
Avenue G: Caller reports a pick
up truck with a trailer blocking
the view of a stop sign; police
arriving at the area decided the
truck was legally parked.
March 30
9:38 a.m., Broadway: Caller
advises police she has been
inside a store 15 minutes and no
attendant or store employee is
present. A cell phone is lying on
the business’s counter. Respon-
sible party is contacted by police
and advised.
10:00 a.m., Holladay Drive: Caller
wants police to know about a
5:30 a.m., Cove parking lot:
Multiple people were warned they
could not camp within city limits.
7:25 a.m., South Y: Subjects were
warned against illegal lodging.
April 3
16:10 p.m., Ninth Avenue: Caller
reports through a third party
the sound of gun shot; police
following up say the complaint
was unfounded.
7:51 p.m., N. Holladay Drive:
A caller to the station asked to
speak to a police officer regard-
ing information the caller wished
to share.
April 4
12:42 a.m., N. Holladay Drive:
Police respond to a possibly
suicidal subject. No further infor-
mation given.
11:58 a.m., S. Prom: Police
receive information from a caller
about a possible video surveil-
lance of a suspicious person in
the neighborhood where there
have been multiple bike thefts.
4:04 p.m., 12th Avenue: Caller
reports finding a hypodermic
needle. Officers search the area
to no avail.
April 5
1:44 a.m., 1st and Roosevelt:
Police give a courtesy ride to a
person en route to their hotel.
2:17 a.m., 200 block Broadway:
An intoxicated person is given a
courtesy ride by police back to
their lodging.
9:13 p.m., S. Lincoln: Caller asks
police to do a welfare check on
his wife who he has been unable
to contact for 6 days. Police go
to the residence and see the
woman moving around inside
the house but she refused to
answer the door. The caller is
notified of this.
4:54 p.m., Broadway and Hol-
laday: Caller reports two small
April 7
12:17 p.m., Avenue B: A report
of an assault is added to the po-
lice log. No further information
was given.
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April 6
6:07 a.m., N. Wahanna: A person
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7:30 p.m., Highway 101: Seaside
police assist Gearhart police on
an intoxicated person call.
11:32 p.m., N. Roosevelt Drive:
Officers responding to a com-
plaint about some people having
a loud verbal altercation; subjects
were told to gather up their
belongings and hit the road.
8:44 p.m., The Cove: A loose
dog running on the beach
was brought to the police and
lodged in the kennel.
not camp within city limits.
April 1
7:06 p.m., 600 block Broadway:
Caller reports an intoxicated
woman stumbling around in traf-
fic; police were unable to locate
the person.
7:37 p.m., Broadway: Caller
reports a couple of kids smoking
marijuana. Officers were unable
to find them.
11:14 p.m., 800 block 12th Ave-
nue” Homeowner reports people
in his home who do not belong
there. Police find an extremely
intoxicated individual who didn’t
understand what was going on
bor why he’d been reported.
April 2
3:54 a.m., Napa: An individual
received a warning to move and
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