Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that 58-year-old Terry Hickman pleaded guilty to causing the death of Ms. Dallas Boyd.
This investigation began on July 20, 2018 when officers assigned to the Portland Police Bureau were flagged down by a community member who reported that she had information about a possible homicide that had recently occurred.
Boyd's body was subsequently located inside a motor vehicle, and an autopsy performed by the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office found the cause of death to be asphyxia due to manual strangulation.
During this investigation, law enforcement learned that the defendant went to a residence in the 9000 block of North Newman Avenue at approximately 11:30 p.m. on July 19, 2018 and knocked on the door, according to court documents. The person living at the address has known the defendant for several years.
While at the residence, Hickman confessed to killing a person, according to court documents.
In the afternoon of July 20, 2018, one of the occupants living at the North Newman residence flagged down officers assigned to the Portland Police Bureau in the 5300 block of North Lombard Street. During that conversation, law enforcement learned about the possible homicide, according to court documents.
Detectives obtained information that led them to identify and later locate a motor vehicle of evidentiary value. A court-authorized search warrant was executed on July 21, 2018 and inside the motor vehicle, detectives located Boyd’s body.
As stated in court, law enforcement believe, based on evidence obtained in this case, that Boyd was killed on or about July 13-17, 2018.
Hickman pleaded guilty on December 3, 2018 to manslaughter in the first degree and attempted assault in the second degree.
It was stated on the record that the defendant will receive a 17 year prison sentence.
Formal sentencing is tentatively scheduled for January 2, 2019 before Judge Eric J. Bergstrom.
Source: Multnomah County District Attorney