Close friend of Bend double-homicide victims protests no arrests after 6 months
DA John Hummel says investigation still active: 'Justice will be done'
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Nearly six months have passed since two of Josh Pardee's close friends were killed in what police quickly determined was a double-homicide inside their northeast Bend home -- and still, no arrests.
That led Pardee and a friend to stage a small protest in downtown Bend on Sunday.
“I want our community firstly, not to forget Ray (Atkinson) or Natasha (Newby) but their case, too,” Pardee said. “Seven months -- I’m sure that our community has forgotten that it even happened. Here we are, with dangerous person or persons, while we’re sleeping at night in Central Oregon.”
Pardee and his friend stood at the corner of Wall Street and Greenwood Avenue, an attempt to make sure others remember the crime, are aware police still have not arrested any suspects -- and to again ask why.
His friend's bodies were found last August in the basement of their Northeast 12th Street home. Police said a short time later there was no danger to the community, but have said little publicly since.
Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel told NewsChannel 21 on Sunday that his office and Bend police have been working intensely on the case, but are still unable to press charges against any suspects.
“We’re aligned with the family and friends," Hummel said. We want to hold their killers accountable. And I assume that they don’t want us to arrest the wrong person. And I’ll also assume they don’t want us to arrest the right person -- and have that person be acquitted by a jury because there is insufficient evidence.”
Back in December, Hummel held a news conference to update this and several other outstanding cases. He said a backlog in evidence processing by the Oregon State Police Crime lab was one reason investigators have not yet charged anyone.
Pardee disagreed Sunday, saying more than enough time has passed in order to charge a suspect with the crime.
“It should be top priority to be solving a double-homicide inside someone’s home, while they were home, locked away, thinking that they were safe,” Pardee said.
When told that Pardee was going to protest and demand justice for Atkinson and Newby, Hummel said:
“I fully support people out there advocating for justice for Ray and Natasha," he said. "They are in the streets advocating for that, I’m in my office advocating for that, with my team and the Bend Police Department.
"Family and friends of Ray and Natasha need to know that I stand with them. I am working daily to try and bring their killer to justice. I’m confident that at the end of the day, we will end up filing charges against the right person and we will obtain a conviction. Justice will be done.”
The cops don’t want to deal with the violent criminals in our community. They’re more interested in politics. Drive a hummer if your name is Hummel and you can’t be humble. It’s a shame that everyone knows who did this and they’re not being charged… but that can’t be surprising when the central Oregon swat team members and their superiors are corrupt cops that have deteriorated an important relationship with the community. I expect repercussions for this, but someone needs to say what KTVZ won’t post
The Bend PD used the term ‘homicidal violence’ just down the street from me yet cleimed there was no threat to the community. It’s hard to take them or Hummel seriously.
Maybe it’s because you’re not the person that they wanted to kill.
That said –
What is the status of the former DDA’s lawsuit against Hummel, please?
The double homicide isn’t the only yet to be answered question by his office.
Hummel referred to several cases in that December presser. I believe one of them was the fatal BMW wreck on the Parkway. I can’t recall having seen an arrest in that one either. Has he made any arrests in any of those cases? He implied that they were very close to arrests back then.
We can ask where it’s at, but if he did, I’m sure he’d have issued something and we’d have reported it.
I don’t see every article. I was only asking if there was any more recent announcement on the Parkway crash.
And there has not been, but checking in with Hummel to see if such is forthcoming.
That case seemed pretty solveable, lots of witnesses, I think some video, and also many newer cars have ‘black boxes’
We constantly wonder about this crime.
A family member of one of the victims told me that they know who did it and why. So where’s the justice? Guess no ones rioting!
enlighten us, please.
Hummel has already been “enlightened”. But still nothing is being done it appears.
Hummel is incompetent at best, and I have absolutely no faith in him, but maybe the allegations made by the family members aren’t as strong as they think they are, or not strong enough to make a solid case.
I really hope he doesn’t screw this case up…
John Hummel took an oath to serve and protect the Constitution and enforce the laws governing our community. He has disparaged his duties and patronized the victims and their families with a back handed apology supporting his flagrant abuse of power by hiding behind the his statements in the media which only proves he can’t or his ego is unwilling to comply with enforcing the laws that protect the republic! John Hummel should be held responsible for his complicity in allowing a known murderer to commit 2 more heinous murders. He should be disbarred post haste and remanded to other employment options rather than put the community at deadly harm for his blatant dereliction of duty and refusal to support enforcement of our laws! His egotistical fascination and use of the media shows the truth in his actions as when he denied 48 human and sex trafficking documented claims!
When is enough of his antics enough? John Hummel apologizes with an immediate excuse in the same breath to the victims families, but he cannot hear what the dead would say because he didn’t give them a choice do to his ego. John Hummel, if you cannot hold those who murder to the law, then why are you a lawyer yet an incompetent District Attorney? It’s time you started pushing carts for Walmart and not play God with our lives! Bend dismiss this D.A. Before another life is raped or murdered!
Just knowing doesn’t matter, it’s what you can prove! Kinda like all of trump’s crimes!
Epstein didn’t kill himself
It’s time to get over your TDS.
Why is this person protesting? Does he think he knows who did it or what? What an incredible waste of time and why is KTVZ covering this? Is there some big coverup? This is baseless.
I think that is the undercurrent. Many people, including Hummel, know who the perps are, otherwise he would not have said that the public was not in danger.
The people demand answers! We are scared! Why isn’t the local media not pressing them like everyday? Hmmm… There’s a killer on the loose and silence like nothing happened…scary! Something just feels and sounds shady. May peace be w this man who’s friends were murdered in cold blood and may justice come to all those involved! Maybe it’s time to ask the FBI to step in?
The media can do little to put pressure on Hummel. He is a small town DA with a small town police department, apparently not too good at solving high profile crimes. If you think back, we still don’t know who the short, 280 pound bank robber is, or who burned down the church, or who burned down the businesses on Franklin…I could go on, but you get my drift.
BPD needs to focus more on this. Too many homicides in the area compared to its population.