Portland, Ore. — Jose Lucas Morfin Jr., 38, was indicted on Friday for the manslaughter of his 64-year-old partner, Mary McDowell, whose body was discovered near her Sherwood home on December 12.
A Washington County grand jury handed down six felony charges against Morfin, including first-degree manslaughter, two counts of second-degree assault, second-degree abuse of a corpse, unlawful use of a weapon, and felon in possession of a firearm.
At approximately 5 a.m. on December 12, McDowell’s body was found lying unresponsive in the road outside her home in a rural area west of Sherwood. When police arrived, McDowell was confirmed dead. Morfin was detained at the scene and initially charged with assault. While authorities did not immediately believe the death to be “homicidal or intentional,” they continued their investigation.
Prosecutors allege that domestic violence played a role in McDowell’s death, as outlined in the indictment. Last week, a detective with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office requested that probable cause information be sealed, citing the ongoing investigation and the need to interview additional witnesses.
McDowell’s family shared a statement, expressing their grief over her tragic death. “Mary was a sweet, kind, caring soul… She spent her entire life serving and caring for others,” they said. The family is asking the public to come forward with any information that might help in understanding the circumstances surrounding her death.
“We also request that the public refrain from speculating about her, especially on social media, as that is very hurtful to her grieving family members,” the statement added.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Washington County Non-Emergency Dispatch at 503-629-0111.
