News Release from: Clackamas Co. Sheriff's Office

Sheriff's Office investigates deadly stabbing in Happy Valley; tips sought

Posted: July 12-13, 2009

Please reference Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Case #09-21354  

HAPPY VALLEY -- At about 12:49 a.m. on July 12, 2009, Clackamas County Sheriff's Office deputies were dispatched to a large fight at the Monterey Springs Apartments, located at 8640 SE Causey Ave. in Happy Valley. The fight reportedly involved 10-15 persons, and was located in the street near the apartments, on the corner of SE 85th Avenue and SE Causey Avenue.

Jose Ramirez-Navarro, 25, and a friend identified as Manuel A. Salmeron, 18, were involved in the fight with another group of Hispanic men. During the altercation, Jose Ramirez-Navarro sustained a severe stab wound to his abdomen, and Manuel Salmeron was stabbed in the leg.

Deputies arrived within a couple of minutes of the dispatch, but found that all parties from the fight had left the scene -- with the exception of the severely injured Jose Ramirez-Navarro, who was lying unconscious on the sidewalk on SE 85th Avenue. He was immediately taken by ambulance to Oregon Health & Science University Hospital (OHSU) in Portland.

Regrettably, at approximately 3:18 a.m., Jose Ramirez-Navarro died at OHSU as a result of his sustained injuries. He resided on SE 67th Avenue in Portland.

Later that morning, Mr. Manuel Salmeron walked into Kaiser Hospital seeking medical treatment for his stab wound to the leg. He was admitted as a trauma patient and transferred to Emanuel hospital by ambulance.

Mr. Manuel Salmeron was treated for his leg injury and released from Emanuel hospital. Salmeron has a residential address in Milwaukie, Oregon.

TIPS SOUGHT

Clackamas County Sheriff's Office detectives are vigorously investigating the incident, murder and assault -- attempting to identify all the persons involved in the incident. They are seeking tips from the public.

The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office urges anyone with information concerning this stabbing murder and assault to contact the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office's confidential Tip Line -- by phone at 503-723-4949 or using the online e-mail form. Please reference CCSO Case #09-21354.

The public can also submit tips via anonymous cell-phone text message. To submit a crime tip to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office from a cell phone, all you have to do is send a text message to CRIMES (274637 on your phone keypad) -- with the keyword CCSO as the first word in the message body. FOR EXAMPLE: A tipster could send the following tip to CRIMES (274637 on your phone keypad): "CCSO John Doe has information about a crime." For detailed information on this service, click here.

IMPORTANT NOTES: Please do not send 911 emergency messages using the text-messaging system. To report a crime in progress, call 911. (It's also important to note that citizens need to verbally call 911 -- because 911 centers in Oregon are NOT able to receive text messages.)

Again, please reference Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Case #09-21354.

[END]

Jim Strovink, Detective
Public Information Officer
Clackamas County Sheriff's Office