Murder charge after stabbing death found in NE Portland apartment

Kenneth Lacey, 37, was arrested on 17 August in Portland after a welfare check led police to the stabbed body of Johnny Alexander, 47.

NE Portland welfare check uncovers stabbing homicide; suspect charged with murder

Google News MT — Crime (en) reports that a Portland man has been charged with second-degree murder following the death of 47-year-old Johnny Alexander, whose body was discovered during a welfare check at a northeast Portland apartment.

According to the Portland Police Bureau, officers were called to an address near East Burnside Street and Northeast 120th Avenue just before midnight on 5 August. They found Alexander dead inside the unit, though stab wounds were not identified at that stage.

Two days later, on 7 August, the medical examiner informed detectives that Alexander had sustained stab wounds. The ME ruled his death a homicide caused by those injuries. Investigators subsequently determined that Alexander had likely died as early as 1 August — several days before police were alerted.

Detectives identified 37-year-old Kenneth Lacey as a suspect. After securing an arrest warrant, officers apprehended Lacey on 17 August at the intersection of Northeast 122nd Avenue and Northeast Oregon Street.

Lacey was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon. Police announced the arrest publicly on Thursday, without explaining the delay.

Authorities are asking anyone with information who has not yet spoken to investigators to contact the homicide tip line at [email protected], quoting case number 26-228121.

Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)