Updated on: June 4, 2026 / 10:12 AM EDT
/ CBS/AP
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A man accused of killing several women and dumping their bodies in the Portland area was arraigned Wednesday on a fifth murder charge.Jesse Calhoun's defense attorney entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf in a Portland courtroom where victims' family members were present. The hearing, during which Calhoun remained silent, came after he was indicted last week on the most recent second-degree murder charge over the death of Ashley Real, 22, in 2023.Calhoun has now been charged with five counts of second-degree murder for five victims, along with four counts of abuse of a corpse. The victims' bodies were found over multiple months in early 2023, sparking concern at the time that a serial killer might be targeting young women in the region.Calhoun was previously indicted in the deaths of Kristin Smith, 22; Charity Perry, 24; Bridget Webster, 31; and Joanna Speaks, 32.Real, Perry, Webster and Smith were found in northwestern Oregon, while Speaks was found near an abandoned barn in southwestern Washington. Their bodies were found in a roughly 100-mile radius, including in wooded areas and in a culvert.
Jesse Calhoun, left, sits in court Wednesday, June 3, 2026, in Portland, Ore., as he is arraigned over the death of Ashley Real.
