16-year-old high school junior killed by dad in murder-suicide, Oregon cops say
A 16-year-old high school junior was killed by her 45-year-old dad in a murder-suicide in Oregon, officials said.
The bodies of Larissa “Juniper” Alexander and Nicholas Alexander were discovered at about 9:50 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11 in an unincorporated community, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said in a post on Facebook.
Deputies said they were conducting a welfare check at the apartment after a caller reported not hearing from one resident.
A medical examiner will determine a cause of death for the father and daughter.
Larissa Alexander was a junior at Century High School, Beth Graser, a spokesperson for the Hillsboro School District, told McClatchy News by email.
“This is a terrible tragedy and our hearts are heavy. We are doing our best to wrap around students and staff, and support them as they process this unthinkable situation and grieve the loss of their friend and classmate,” Graser said.
“Our Century family is a close community and any time we experience trauma and loss, it affects all of us deeply. It will take time to heal, but we will get through this together. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies go out to Larissa’s family, friends, and all who knew her,” Century High School Principal Julie Kasper said in a letter to families.
Nicholas Alexander had worked as a guard at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility since 2016, a women’s prison in Wilsonville, a spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Corrections said in an email.
He was put on administrative leave on Oct. 15. He was the “subject of an internal investigation.”
Up to 600 murder-suicides happen each year, according to the FBI. They account for about 1,000 deaths a year.
“Although uncommon, such incidents vary widely in terms of the persons involved, how they are related, and where the crimes take place,” the FBI reported. “Usually, law enforcement personnel deal with murder-suicides involving two people in domestic settings or relationships.”
About 65% of murder-suicides involve intimate partners, officials said, and 81% happen in the home.
Washington County is in northwestern Oregon and includes part of the Portland metropolitan area.
This story was originally published December 13, 2024 at 11:37 AM with the headline "16-year-old high school junior killed by dad in murder-suicide, Oregon cops say."
