Three charged with murder in Portland woman’s death

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A Columbia County grand jury has indicted three people on aggravated murder charges in the death of a Portland woman.

Sheriff Jeff Dickerson identified them as 28-year-old Jesse Lane of Medford, 29-year-old Charles Vernon of St. Helens and 20-year-old Stephanie Toney of St. Helens. They were arraigned Thursday at the courthouse in St. Helens.

Apache Hightower’s body was found in a field Sept. 20. She was the mother of an 11-month-old daughter.

Lane, who had been in a relationship with Hightower, was arrested in late September by police in Santa Barbara, California. Besides murder, he’s charged with kidnapping, strangulation, hindering prosecution and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Vernon and Toney are also charged with kidnapping and hindering prosecution.