Classmate killer due for release, Deschutes Co. parole

A 40-year-old man convicted at age 15 of raping and murdering a high school classmate in Beaverton is due for parole later this month and has been assigned a parole officer in Deschutes County.

Conrad Engweiler is set to be released from state prison in less than two weeks. The Bend Bulletin reports (http://bit.ly/1vkLYXA ) that Engweiler’s father lives in Sisters.

The Oregon Parole Board ruled last month that Engweiler should be released. It was a closely watched decision that angered the victim’s family.

Engweiler’s case was repeatedly before the courts because he was initially sentenced under unclear guidelines.

The appearance before the parole board resulted from an Oregon Supreme Court ruling that said he was entitled to time off for good behavior.

Following his release, Engweiler will be supervised for a minimum of three years and must register as a sex offender.

Engweiler raped and strangled 16-year-old Sunset High School classmate Erin Reynolds when he was 15. The victim’s family said the pair knew each other and briefly dated, but Reynolds had cut things off.

Her body was found in a yard debris pile outside Engweiler’s home in February of 1990 after his father called to report his son was missing and a strange car was outside. The car belonged to Reynolds. Police believe she was killed the previous day.

A jury convicted Engweiler of aggravated murder, rape and sodomy. In 1991, a judge sentenced him to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years.

On Tuesday, the parole board announced Engweiler would be released on Oct. 16.

Reynolds’ sister, Beth Greear, told KGW she was upset to learn he was getting out of prison. She said it made her feel mad at our justice system, but not the parole board.

“The parole board has been amazing, fantastic through this,” said Greear. “It’s our justice system that failed the victim. He should have done 40 years. That’s what he was given. When he came back and said he was upset that adult offenders that committed the same crime were getting less time, he was wrong. Some were getting the death penalty in 1990. He should have gotten death.”

Greear said her attorney told her there was no option to appeal the parole board’s decision.

“I’m afraid for the general public,” she said. “He’s absolutely a risk to society.”