An Oregon man faces criminal charges after his partner was found dead in a road just days before Christmas.
A Washington County grand jury indicted Jose Lucas Morfin Jr., 38, on charges of manslaughter in the first degree, assault, abuse of a corpse, unlawful use of a weapon, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Morfin Jr. was charged in relation to the death of his partner, 64-year-old Mary McDowell.
"As a family, we are deeply saddened by the circumstances surrounding the death of our beloved Mary Longway McDowell. Mary was a sweet, kind, caring soul with a delightful giggle who spent her entire life serving and caring for others," McDowell's family wrote in a statement.
"She helped so many people throughout her lifetime, and we are asking the public to help her now. If you have any information or had contact with her individually or encountered her with her partner, Jose Lucas Morfin Jr. in recent years, please reach out to the detectives assigned to this case. Details that you might not think are important...could be very helpful to gain greater understanding of what led up to her death," the family stated. Police stated that Morfin Jr. primarily used his middle name, Lucas.
On Dec. 16, during a court appearance Morfin Jr. attempted to address McDowell's family members. He implored a family member not to "listen to propaganda," adding, "I was there with Mary, and I tried to revive her!" KPTV-12 reported.
The Washington County Sheriff's Office has not yet released a cause of death for McDowell and the investigation is ongoing, KPTV reported.
