He Was Granted Clemency After Trying to Strangle a Dog. Then He Killed 3 Women, Say Police

Jesse Lee Calhoun has been charged with murder in connection with the deaths of Charity Lynn Perry, Bridget Leanne Webster and Joanna Speaks, authorities say

An Oregon man is accused of killing three women throughout April 2023 after he'd been granted clemency, which sprung him from prison after multiple prior convictions — including one for attempting to strangle a dog.

Jesse Lee Calhoun is now charged with three counts of murder in connection with the deaths of Charity Lynn Perry, 24, Bridget Leanne Webster, 31, and Joanna Speaks, 32, the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office announced on Friday, May 17.

The women were found dead "under suspicious circumstances" in different parts of Washington State and Oregon throughout April 2023, per police.

On April 9, Speaks was found dead near an abandoned barn in Ridgefield, Wash., and a medical examiner determined her cause of death to be blunt force trauma to her head and neck, KOIN reported in November, citing Portland Police Bureau and the Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Later that month, on April 24, Perry was found dead near Ainsworth State Park in Oregon under suspicious circumstances, but police did not provide further details, per KOIN.

Days later, on April 30, Webster was found dead under "suspicious circumstances" near a park in Polk County, Ore., KOIN reported, citing the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

Related: Deaths of 4 Women in 3 Months Are Linked, Say Authorities in Oregon

At the time of the killings, Calhoun was out of prison after being granted clemency in July 2021, per KOIN and the Associated Press.

He had been serving a four-year sentence following convictions for assault of a police officer, attempting to strangle a police dog and burglary, among other offenses, per the Associated Press.

He was sent back to a detention facility in June 2023 for an alleged parole violation, per KOIN and KATU.

His clemency was revoked in July 2023 because he was allegedly "involved in criminal activity currently under investigation," Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt said, per KOIN.

Authorities said in July that they had a person of interest in the killings of the three women, per KOIN. Investigators did not immediately name him, but KOIN identified Calhoun to be the person of interest.

At the time of his murder indictments, Calhoun was in custody at a correctional facility in Oregon and awaiting his transfer to Multnomah County's custody, the DA's office said in their statement.

Related: Ore. Man Charged with the Murders of 3 Women Who Were Found Dead Under 'Suspicious Circumstances'

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Calhoun is currently charged with three counts of second-degree murder and three counts of abuse of a corpse, according to the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office statement.

He has been at the Oregon correctional facility since July 2023, PEOPLE previously reported, citing jail records.

It wasn't immediately clear if he has entered pleas or retained an attorney to speak on his behalf.

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