Photo: Ricky Malone Sr.
Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced the filing of a six-count charging document against 15-year-old Aaron Criswell and 15-year-old Richard Jerome Rand, IV for allegedly causing the death of 65-year-old Ricky Malone, Sr.
Although Criswell and Rand are minors, under current Oregon law, at this point, both are being charged as adults under Ballot Measure 11.
Law enforcement arrested a 14 year old male and lodged him into the Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Center in connection to this investigation.
Ballot Measure 11 only applies to juveniles who have reached the age of 15.
As such, with regard to the 14 year old suspect in this case, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office is unable to provide the name, date of birth, the crime(s) alleged in the petition, the names and addresses of the minor’s parents/guardians, whether the youth is employed or in school, and/or the time and place in which the youth was taken into custody, pursuant to ORS 419A.255.
Criswell and Rand are charged with one count of murder in the first degree with a firearm, two counts of murder in the second degree with a firearm, one count of robbery in the first degree with a firearm, one count of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle with a firearm, and one count of burglary in the first degree with a firearm.
A probable cause affidavit was filed in the criminal case involving Criswell and Rand. All of the details contained in the following paragraphs comes from that document.
According to that publicly available document, this investigation started on October 14, 2019 at 6:14 a.m. when officers responded to the 10200 block of North Mohawk Avenue in Portland, Oregon to conduct a welfare check on a male later identified as Mr. Malone. Police arrived and located a large amount of blood located around Mr. Malone’s body and blood on the bags that he used to collect bottles and cans with.
Mr. Malone died on scene.
The Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office determined he died as a result of a single shotgun blast to his left chest. Based on evidence from the scene, the medical examiner determined Mr. Malone was shot at close range.
During this investigation, law enforcement determined Mr. Malone was collecting bottles and cans from recycling bins, which were pending pick up.
Mr. Malone enjoyed collecting bottles and cans and would do so routinely, according to court documents. Detectives also learned that he had plans to meet a family member at a bottle and can redemption center later that morning.
According to court documents, law enforcement determined the suspects in Mr. Malone’s death were linked to a home invasion in the 10200 block of North Midway Avenue in Portland, Oregon. This home invasion was reported minutes before the shooting.
The probable cause affidavit states: the resident of the home told law enforcement that three masked individuals, one of whom wore a “clown-style mask, entered his residence. One of the masked individuals armed with a shotgun. The three subjects ran away when the resident scared them off by yelling.
Throughout the morning of October 14, 2019, law enforcement received numerous calls from individuals reporting someone had crashed into their vehicles and fled. One of the hit and run victims obtained a license plate number from the other involved vehicle. Police determined the vehicle information came back belonging to Mr. Malone, according to court documents.
The vehicle was recovered in the 8500 block of North Hodge Avenue in Portland, approximately two miles from the shooting scene. The vehicle was badly damaged and had a significant amount of blood on the driver’s side, according to court documents.
According to court documents, law enforcement searched the vehicle and located a receipt from a fast food restaurant. Detectives recovered surveillance video from the restaurant and observed Mr. Malone’s vehicle being driven through the drive-through several hours after his death. The driver of Mr. Malone’s vehicle was clearly visible in the video. That person was later identified as a 14 year old juvenile. He was wearing a distinctive shirt that was later recovered from his parent’s home during a search warrant.
On October 24, 2019, law enforcement searched the 14 year old’s home located in the 8400 block of North Portsmouth Avenue in Portland, Oregon. During court-authorized search, law enforcement located items belonging to Mr. Malone, according to court documents.
According to court documents: law enforcement believe all three individuals gathered on October 14, 2019 at the 14 year old’s residence with intent to commit a home invasion. When the group left to commit the home invasion, Criswell was armed with a shotgun and Rand wore a clown-style mask. When the three were confronted by the resident, they ran away. While fleeing, they came across Mr. Malone.
Both the 14 year old and Criswell told police that they were familiar with Mr. Malone from living in the neighborhood, according to court documents.
Law enforcement believes the group, after running into Mr. Malone, confronted him and demanded that he surrender his vehicle, which was idling nearby, according to court document. When Mr. Malone refused to turn over his vehicle, Criswell allegedly shot Mr. Malone, according to court documents.
A shotgun was recovered later in the day on October 14, 2019 after a homeowner located it in the shrubs along North Allegheny Avenue, which is a short distance from the shooting crime scene, according to court documents.
Source: Multnomah County District Attorney