Crime & Safety
Brother Says Castro Valley Woman Killed in Oregon Homicide
Kirsten Englund, 56, of Castro Valley, was killed in Winchester Bay, Ore. Sunday, a man who identified himself as her brother-in-law told reporters.
A brother-in-law of a woman murdered in Oregon believes the victim to be a 56-year-old Castro Valley woman, according to media reports.
A woman’s body was found naked in bushes at around 8:20 a.m. Sunday morning near the Winchester Bay Wayfinding Point, located along Highway 101 in Douglas County, Ore. The victim is believed to have been killed that morning, according to the Oregon State Police
Find out what's happening in Castro Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
A possible suspect was in custody Monday.
Though it has yet to be confirmed by a medical examiner, John Sandstrom told the Coos Bay World newspaper that the victim is Castro Valley resident Kirsten Englund.
Find out what's happening in Castro Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Sandstrom told reporters that Englund was driving north to visit family members. She had visited a son at Humboldt State University and was en route to visit another son in Oregon and her sister in Washington.
Sandstrom was notified by police Monday that Englund’s car was found at Wayfinding Point with her body nearby in an area popular for whale watching, according to the Coos Bay World. He was asked for photos of Englund and any identifying physical characteristics and marks.
Englund has not answered repeated calls to her phone, Sandstrom added.
While few details of the homicide have been released, authorities on Monday arrested Jeffrey Boyce, 30, of North Bend, Ore., in Marin, Calif., who may be associated with the case.
Oregon investigators travelled to California to interview Boyce on Monday, but did not say if Boyce was a suspect in the homicide investigation, according to the Coos Bay World.
Boyce was arrested after robbing two people at gunpoint and was found with “an arsenal of guns and ammunition” — a loaded .22 caliber rifle, hundreds of bullets, six 30-round magazines and a tactical vest — the Coos Bay World reports.
Boyce’s mother told authorities that he had recently exhibited psychotic behavior and believed that someone was trying to kill him. She said she last saw Boyce Saturday and received a call from the 707 area code sometime between then and Monday morning.
Patch will update this report as more information becomes available.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.