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An Oregon school district employee allegedly murdered three people inside a suburban home Tuesday, before reportedly turning up dead at a motel the next day.
Gun buff Edward Villa, 45, was wanted for the triple-homicide in the city of Happy Valley on Tuesday — located around 10 miles southeast of downtown Portland — where three people were found shot to death “as a result of homicidal violence” inside the home around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, The Oregonian reported, according to police.
Cops responded to a welfare check for a missing person when they discovered the bodies, according to the outlet and the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office.
It is unclear who called police to request a welfare check.
The slain individuals have not been publicly identified and it is not yet known if Villa had any relationship with them.
North Clackamas School District confirmed to The Post it sent out an announcement to parents on Wednesday advising about the allegations against Villa, who worked as a student and community engagement specialist with the school.
“We can confirm that Edward Villa is a current North Clackamas School District employee who is not in attendance at work,” the district wrote to parents in an email around 12:20 p.m. Wednesday.
“Our law enforcement partners have encouraged us to share with the school community that there is not a threat to our schools or facilities.”
Later that day, Villa was found dead at a motel in Hammond, a coastal neighborhood about 100 miles from Happy Valley, several hours after authorities issued a warrant for his arrest, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office announced.
The school district then notified families that Villa, who had been an employee since 2007, had died, a district spokesperson said.
“At this time, we do not have any further details, but will continue providing updates with any information connected to our school district,” the district said in a follow-up update to parents sent around 3:15 p.m.
It’s also unclear whether Villa killed himself.
He eerily posted a video to his Facebook page last year showcasing his weapons arsenal, which appeared to show several handguns and ammunition, that was captioned, “family time.”
Officials tracked down the suspected gunman to the motel, where the US Marshals Service attempted to make contact with him, The Oregonian reported.
After receiving no response from Villa’s motel room, tear gas and munitions were deployed before a drone was sent in — and discovered his body in a grisly scene.
“A suspect was identified, tracked, and located a little more than 24 hours after Happy Valley Police arrived on scene,” Clackamas County Sheriff James Rhodes said in a statement, who described the “tragic loss of three lives” as “heartbreaking.”
“This was a tragic incident for all involved and will have an impact on our normally peaceful city,” Happy Valley Chief of Police Marcus Mendoza added.
Mendoza vowed to release further details Thursday, once the families of the three killed have been notified.
“Our community expects and deserves transparency, especially in the wake of such a tragedy,” Rhodes added.
“We are committed to sharing as much information as possible, as soon as we can responsibly do so.”