Clackamas County Sheriff's Office
Authorities were first alerted when the remains of a woman believed to have died two weeks prior were discovered off of a service road in Mount Hood National Forest in Oregon.
A man and his teenaged son have now been arrested and charged after the shocking discovery of human remains in a national forest earlier this month.
William Glen Blake, 56, was arrested Thursday and has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Jennifer Ruth Stuart, 38, per Law&Crime. Additional charges include abuse of a corpse, unlawful use of a weapon with domestic intent, and tampering with evidence.
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View StorySome of those charges come from the fact that investigators were able to quickly determine that Stuart did not die where her body was found on September 1. That's also how Blake's 15-year-old son also wound up facing charges of abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence.
In announcing those arrests, police also announced that they were still on the search for another of Blake's sons, this one 17 years old, and a 2002 red and gray Chevy Avalanche with Texas plates. Per their updated press release on Saturday, however, the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office was able to make contact with the second teen, and located the truck.
Deputies first became involved with the case when they received a call just before 2 p.m. on September 1 of human remains found off of a service road in Mount Hood National Forest in unincorporated Clackamas County. An autopsy identified the body as Stuart and her cause of death as homicide, turning a death investigation into a homicide investigation.
As the investigation carried into its second month, deputies were able to uncover their suspect, ultimately apprehending and taking Blake into custody. It is their belief, per the press release, that Stuart died after a domestic dispute turned deadly on August 15 in their shared home in Oregon City.
While the press release describes Stuart as sharing the residence with Blake, individuals Fox affiliate KPTV describes as "those that knew her" told the news station that she was believed to be homeless and frequented the Clackamas Town Center or a Fred Meyer grocery store nearby. Other homeless people who knew her told the outlet it was suspicious for her body to be found so far away.
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View Story"She was a good girl, but she’s in a better place I guess," said Stuart's friend Mike Chaney. "When I found out, it hit me in my stomach, it hurt. Why do we have to lose the good ones when there are so many bad people out there."
Blake was arrested for his role in murdering the woman CBS affiliate KOIN described as his girlfriend, while his son was arrested for allegedly assisting his father in transporting her remains. The minor was taken to the Clackamas County Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center, while his father is being held at the Clackamas County Jail.
The 17-year-old son was interviewed by investigators, according to the latest release, but there is no indication at this time that he had any direct involvement in the murder or attempted coverup and no additional charges have been revealed.
