This is the end of a long investigation. On Wednesday February 1, Warren Forrest was found guilty of the murder of Martha Morrisson. On October 12, 1974, the body of the 17-year-old young woman was found by hunters in a wooded area in Dole Valley, Oregon. For decades, his murder remained unsolved, before the investigation shifted in 2015. That year, the victim’s blood was found on the butt of a dart gun belonging to Warren Forrest.
According to information from CBS News, the discovery of the DNA fingerprint of the man on his weapon had made it possible to designate him as the main suspect. “It is not a mistake that Martha’s blood is on the handle of this weapon. There is no other explanation for this, other than that the accused is her killer,” said the prosecutor, during of his trial.
Warren Forrest allegedly killed at least nine young girls
If it took almost 50 years to discover that Warren Forrest was the murderer of Martha Morrisson, the man would actually be a serial killer. Indeed, he would be involved in the death of at least nine girls between 1971 and 1974. Among his victims, the young Krista Kay Black. He had previously been sentenced to life for his murder which occurred in 1974. The serial killer would also be responsible for the death of Jamie Grissim in 1971 and that of Diane Gilchrist in 1974, whose bodies have never been found, as reported journalist Dan Tiklin.
It’s important to point out that 2 of the teenagers Forrest is suspected of killing are still missing. Jamie Grissim was 16 when she disappeared after leaving Ft. Vancouver High School in 1971. Diane Gilchrist was 14 when she disappeared from downtown Vancouver in 1974. https://t.co/sfYuBm8a77 pic.twitter.com/FRBrEsbhvQ
— Dan Tilkin (@DanTilkinKOIN6) February 2, 2023
During the trial of the murderer, where more than 30 people were called to testify, Norma Jean Lewis came to detail the modus operandi of the serial killer. Aged 15 in 1974, she had been kidnapped and tied to a tree. She had then managed to escape, saving herself from certain death. The verdict of the trial is expected to be delivered on Friday, February 17.
Warren Forrest © YouTube / KOIN 6 screenshot
