Missing Ore. woman's remains found, neighbor arrested
GRESHAM, Ore. – Searchers have located the remains of missing woman Whitney Heichel, and police have arrested a man suspected in her death.
The 21-year-old woman's remains were found on Larch Mountain late Friday around the same time police arrested Jonathan Holt.
A tip led police to 24-year-old Holt, who lived in Heichel's apartment complex, and was an acquaintance of the victim and her husband, according to Gresham Police Chief Craig Junginger.
A police interview of Holt revealed inconsistencies, the chief said, and forensic evidence tied him to the victim's car. Investigators had obtained Holt's fingerprints and DNA.
When Holt voluntarily reported to an additional interview Friday evening, police had just located the victim's body. He was placed under arrest a short time later.
The Starbucks barista reportedly left her apartment for work at about 6:45 a.m. Tuesday on a drive that typically takes less than five minutes.
Her husband called police roughly three hours later. He told investigators he tried to reach his wife multiple times after her boss alerted him that she never arrived for her 7 a.m. shift.
Police said Heichel's ATM card was used at a nearby Troutdale gas station at 9:14 a.m. Tuesday. Two hours later, her sport utility vehicle was found in a Walmart parking lot with the passenger side window smashed.
A child later found her cell phone in a field that lies between the gas station and the Walmart, giving investigators another venue to search.
News of the major break in the case ended an emotional week of uncertainty for the victim's family and friends.
"Words can't begin to express the sadness that our family is experiencing tonight," said family spokesman Jim Vaughn. "This has been the most traumatic thing that has happened to us, not only as Whitney's family, but her spiritual family as well, because we are so close."
Greshsam Mayor Shane Bemis said the entire city had been “shaken to the core” by the tragedy.
"To say that this case brought fear and anxiety to the community is a vast understatement," he said. "Whitney, in many ways, represented our daughters, our wives, sisters, friends and loved ones."
The 21-year-old woman's remains were found on Larch Mountain late Friday around the same time police arrested Jonathan Holt.
A tip led police to 24-year-old Holt, who lived in Heichel's apartment complex, and was an acquaintance of the victim and her husband, according to Gresham Police Chief Craig Junginger.
A police interview of Holt revealed inconsistencies, the chief said, and forensic evidence tied him to the victim's car. Investigators had obtained Holt's fingerprints and DNA.
When Holt voluntarily reported to an additional interview Friday evening, police had just located the victim's body. He was placed under arrest a short time later.
The Starbucks barista reportedly left her apartment for work at about 6:45 a.m. Tuesday on a drive that typically takes less than five minutes.
Her husband called police roughly three hours later. He told investigators he tried to reach his wife multiple times after her boss alerted him that she never arrived for her 7 a.m. shift.
Police said Heichel's ATM card was used at a nearby Troutdale gas station at 9:14 a.m. Tuesday. Two hours later, her sport utility vehicle was found in a Walmart parking lot with the passenger side window smashed.
A child later found her cell phone in a field that lies between the gas station and the Walmart, giving investigators another venue to search.
News of the major break in the case ended an emotional week of uncertainty for the victim's family and friends.
"Words can't begin to express the sadness that our family is experiencing tonight," said family spokesman Jim Vaughn. "This has been the most traumatic thing that has happened to us, not only as Whitney's family, but her spiritual family as well, because we are so close."
Greshsam Mayor Shane Bemis said the entire city had been “shaken to the core” by the tragedy.
"To say that this case brought fear and anxiety to the community is a vast understatement," he said. "Whitney, in many ways, represented our daughters, our wives, sisters, friends and loved ones."
i could only imagine what the husband is thinking assuming he's not involved... if I were him I would want to break that guy out of jail just to beat the #&*$ out of him and let him suffer where he lies until he dies
Argh - it didn't look good yesterday and now it's really not good. :( So terrible for the family and friends of this young woman. My heart goes out to them.Â
Its a dangerous world and always has been. Always been psychopaths out there and always will. People think they can recognize them but you can't. Not even psychiatrists can. You have to be aware of your surroundings at all times. Time to grow up people.
 @Blindman and when they pop off and kill innocents in cold blood then they need to be put down like the diseased animals they are. Not 15 years down the road, or ten or even five years. But within a reasonable amount of days.  Like ONE day after sentencing. This young monster here needs to be euthanized immediately upon finding of guilt.
I grew up and am good friends with "johnny"...im just speechless, he was a high school football star, could have had any woman he wanted. Never in our wildest dreams did we think he would be capable of doing something, when my mother told me about it this morning I got physically sick. I still am. This is a sick twisted world, and coming from a friend, I am sorry to say john, but you do deserve to burn.
 @scuttlebutt Let's let the case play out in court before we burn anyone.
 @jb_22 what do you mean? It was him, his mom is the one that turned him in
 @scuttlebutt His mother turned him in? how did she know? did he tell her?
My thoughts and prays are with the family. This was not how I would like this story to turn out.
If the guy in the pic is guilty, this may be the case of a coveting neighbor. Nonetheless, I hope capital punishment will be used. RIP Mrs. Heichel.
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@HullenbeckCowl Oregon has a Death Penalty. The problem is with the current governor who lacks the testicular endowment to get the job done.
@HullenbeckCowl Oregon has capital punishment, and it should definitely be executed in this case. The moron needs to be put down like a rabid beast.
 @HullenbeckCowl Actually that's not true. Oregon does have the death penalty.Â
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors wife...
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Thou shalt not steal...
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Thou shalt not kill...
 @CIAassassin the fear of hell doesn't help if you don't believe in God. These types of murderous animals need to be euthanized ASAP.
There will be no peace until Holt is executed preferably in public so any future copy cats will hopefully be deterred.
Holt needs to be executed do not let him enjoy prison life free room board, education exercise and all. The laws need to be changed giving the family first rights to shoot him. Every member of the family survivors should be given a clip loaded show the execution on TV, internet, world wide. This person is not sick, he is EVIL and must be dealth with accordingly. Any liberals who think I am barbaric, tough suck it up, Niceness and turning the other cheek does not work with this type of living animal.
I hope all of you insensitive people that made comments about her husband"not showing enough emotion" and "looking guilty" have a very hard time sleeping tonight. Hopefully nothing like this ever touches your family and the finger get's pointed at you during the lowest point in your life.Â
@annieg
While it is normal to look first at the spouse, in this case husband, I could not believe one comment on the original article that stated they HOPED it was the husband, along with the others who seemed to just figure it was him.  When it was mentioned that the attendant saw him getting gas, that he was nervous, and that she was sitting in the passenger seat, I figured if it was the husband he would have been identified. I just feel really bad for him and the whole family. You just have to wonder, why??? Â
 @oldster70 I was referring to the commentators(they) on here. Some of the earlier posts were quite premature and extremely insensitive.
 @annieg The pictures and interviews I saw on Huffington Post were heart breaking. Even though for maybe a second you might think the husband, this case proves that he wasn't involved. His emotions were raw, and you could tell that he had just lost the love of his life. For those who like to play the blame game, I hope you feel guilt. Not every spouse is capable of doing this, and this proves it!
 @yentaleh  @annieg Proves nothing at this point.  Wasn't aware all the evidence has been presented to a judge/jury. Â
 @jb_22  @yentaleh I wasn't aware either. That was my point.
 @yentaleh It just bugs me that people are so quick to judge. I guess the story wasn't tragic enough so they had to add a little spice. Sad that the story itself  wasn't enough.Â
This is sad beyond belief. I feel terrible for Whitney's family, especially her husband. Such a young couple and she looked like a happy, cheerful woman who had a bright future ahead of her. Prayers and condolences to her family.
I still don't understand how a human being could do such a thing. If this idiot Holt is the convicted killer, PLEASE fry his brains or push him off a tall mountain. I believe in second chances but the killer that did this to Whitney is a deranged piece of trash. So, a second chance for him, I'd say no way because it will just mean a second chance to kill another innocent human.
Punish him, and punish him hard. Justice system, please don't fail us this time. Whitney's family deserves justice, although nothing will be satisfying enough. RIP Whitney, and may you be in peace with God.
Oh man, this is horrible. I'm so sorry for the family and friends. I wish it hadn't ended this way. This is so sad.
That's what I thought. KOMO does it again! Greshem Oregon dimwits!
I called KOMO 2 hours ago to let them know it was wrong.....Still not fixed..
They actually have somebody there who takes those types of calls??
 @2ndstartothenorth I don't think they have anyone on weekends that can edit their web pages.
No! I was so hoping that she would be found safe. I am so sorry for the young woman and her family.  Terrible to lose someone, especially this way.
Rest in peace, Whitney.Â
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It's still early in the case, so I'm holding back judgement of the suspect until there is irrefutable proof that he actually commited homicidal violence against the victim.Â
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An arrest is not a conviction.
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Seems there may be more to this than we know.Â
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I'm puzzled that Holt was cooperating with police and voluntarily gave them a third interview. Â
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Even though forensic evidence connects him to the car (Ever give a friend a ride in your car? There will be DNA evidence that they were there including fingerprints and clothing fibers) do they have DNA evidence  that links him to the actual homicide? Â
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What was the source of the tip the police received that led them to question Holt?
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I could be wrong but I'm not entirely convinced that the husband didn't have something to do with this.  He was disturbingly calm during the first interview when she had been missing a matter of hours; he just didn't appear to be alarmed, in a Scott Peterson sort of way.Â
 I know that I would be frantic if my spouse disappeared. Â
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 @Smokin Bear You are one sad judgmental individual.  Have a nice life.
@jb_22 - I did preface my comments by saying that I could be wrong, so I think that you're reaction is way over the top.
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 @jb_22  @Smokin Bear I would have to say that Smokin Bear is being both logical AND rational on this. Too many unanswered questions at this stage of the investigation, and I too, am disturbed by the Spocklike demeanor of this woman's husband. I'm with the Bear on this one. I'd be freaking out if MY wife disappeared.
Interesting article. The woman's neighbor who was arrested lives in Washington yet she lived in Oregon. Okay.... Guess I'll have to get the rest of the story somewhere else KOMO.
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heh-heh..... you said "stump"
Good lord I can't even begin to imagine what the family (especially the husband) is going through right now. Stay strong, and may justice prevail.Â
This breaks my heart. Love and peace to her husband and family.
Nothing but PEACE to her Family & Husband.
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It was so heartbreaking to see him barely be able to speak to reporters. All the while knowing that some people believed him to be the culprit.
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I hope they can find some comfort in getting her back, and giving her the love respect she deserves.
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All my Sympathies. Just senseless....
https://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/RipWhitneyHeichel?fref=tck For those interested in it...
Starbucks........I hope you will think about starting a donation nation wide that all of us can contribute to the family to help out.We need to come together as one during a time like this.
 @2ndstartothenorth Donation for what? Her burial? Insurance takes care of that and seeing as she was married most likely had life insurance. I didn't see in any reports that the family needed money.Â
@Northend @2ndstartothenorth insuarnce DOES NOT take care ofa burial. IF she had life insurance (big IF this was a 21 year old girl) the husbane wil recieve money down the road not now and sadly most people's insurance will not be an adequate amount to support a burial and ceremony which can be several thousand up to tens of thousandes of dollars based on the size of the ceremony and all the oter variable like casket or cremation (which alone is several thousand without an earn)
 @Northend  @2ndstartothenorth I think your assumption of them most likely having life insurance is unfounded. Â
 @Northend They were a young couple and it is highly likely they had no insurance.
 @Northend  @2ndstartothenorth ....how about a contribution to the fellow prisoner who shanks this guy day one in the yard....just a thought.
oh noooooo. this is really sad. I was really hoping for a good news out of it.Â
Oh no............no no no...........her poor family.
 @Doxie I don't know if you're spiritual, but I read the family would appreciate the power of prayer(s).
 @Funky-Munky I am and already prayed for comfort and strength for all of them.  Unthinkable what they are going through.
 @Doxie I could put together a profile.... In short a psychopath.... most likely started out a sociopath... yikes. You're exactly right about the closet psychos...
 @Funky-Munky I know plenty of 'obvious 'crazies' (mentally ill) but it's these closet psychos that we should be worried about.  I can't believe he killed that girl. For what?
 @Doxie I don't like the way society appears to heading... scary. Many more kinds of crazies these days... sad.