Redmond man arraigned on murder charge; new details out in fatal shooting, robbery at Bend’s Holiday Motel
(Update: Loun arraignment, details of alleged crime)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A Redmond man who with a California woman are charged with murder in the fatal shooting of a Bend man at the Holiday Motel in early January was arraigned Monday afternoon and more details of the alleged crime came to light.
A Deschutes County grand jury on Friday indicted Jessica Mae Sanders, 30, of Clearlake, Calif., and Jason Newton Loun, 38, of Redmond on second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, unlawful use of a weapon and third-degree theft in the Jan. 3 death of Robert Lewis Treher, 34, Bend Police Communications Manager Sheila Miller said.
Loun appeared by video from the Deschutes County Jail for Monday afternoon's arraignment before Deschutes County Circuit Judge Alycia Sykora.
Deputy District Attorney Mara Houck said the evidence showed Loun drove Sanders to the Southeast Third Street motel, where she went into Treher's room and "stole a number of items," then shot him with a 9-millimeter handgun.
The prosecutor said Loun is accused of aiding and abetting Sanders by finding and threatening the victim, and driving her to and from the scene.
Sykora kept Loun's bail at $1 million and ordered no contact with the victim's family. She set a plea entry for March 24.
Treher was renting the room and was alone when he was found by a motel employee, Miller told KTVZ News at the time. His van was parked at the motel, she said.
On the day Treher's body was found, Bend Police identified Sanders as a person of interest in the homicide investigation, Miller said in a news release Saturday.
Sanders, an acquaintance of Treher, had an outstanding warrant for her arrest out of Lake County, Calif., and was staying at Eagle Crest Resort.
That same day, detectives, with assistance from the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office and Redmond Police, conducted a traffic stop in the area of SW 27th Street and Juniper Avenue in Redmond and took Sanders and the driver into custody.
Based on evidence found in the vehicle, both women were charged with methamphetamine delivery and possession. They were lodged at the Deschutes County Jail, where Sanders has remained as a result of the drug offenses.
Loun, also an acquaintance of Treher, was taken into custody by Redmond Police around 2 a.m. Saturday.
Court records also show a $1 million arrest warrant was issued for Loun after his five-count indictment filed Friday.
Sanders was arraigned Friday on the murder and other charges and is scheduled for a plea hearing on March 21.
The indictment says the crimes occurred "on or about" Jan. 2 and involved a handgun. It notes she was convicted in Lake County, California in 2018 of a felony charge of possession or receiving known stolen property.
