Police: Murder suspect tied to death of mystery woman

PORTLAND, Ore. - Portland Police said the suspect currently in custody for a murder in SE Portland in July may also be responsible for the death of an as-yet unidentified woman found in Washington Park in June.

Police said that last week, a Multnomah County Grand Jury indicted 40-year-old Mark Daniel Beebout for 9 counts of aggravated murder and several other charges in connection with the death of an unidentified woman found dead in Portland's Washington Park on June 26.

Oregon State Police Crime Lab investigators said they have linked Beebout to the second victim through DNA.

Police are also asking the public to look at a sketch (full version below) of the unidentified young woman and to contact them if they recognize her.

Beebout was most recently in court August 8 following the filing of an 11-count indictment, including six aggravated murder charges, in the death of Nikayla "Niki" Powell in July. He remains in custody.

The woman found dead in the park was in her teens or early 20s and so far has not been found in any law enforcement database. She may have been "new to the transient lifestyle" and no missing persons reports match her description, Portland police said in a press release.

The young woman is described as a mixed-race female, possibly Hispanic or Native American, approximately 5 feet tall, 100 pounds, with long, straight, black hair.

She was wearing a "Metal Mulisha" sweatshirt and detectives have released an exact image of the logo to see if anyone might be familiar with her in the Portland area.

Investigators think she may not be from Portland.

Investigators said in court documents released earlier this month that Beebout killed Nikayla Powell following a sexual assault. He was arrested in Seattle with her car and dog and has pleaded not guilty to those charges.

Police said the latest developments in their investigation started when park rangers found the remains of a young woman in Washington Park, just west of the Vista Bridge off of Southwest Jefferson Street in June.

Detectives said they would like to hear from anyone with background information about Mark Beebout or if they remember seeing Beebout with a young woman matching the above description.

Contact Detective Molly Daul at 503-823-0991 or Molly.Daul@PortlandOregon.gov; or, Rico Beniga at 503-823-0457 or Rico.Beniga@PortlandOregon.gov.