Six People Facing Charges in Connection with 2015 Homicide of Robert Huggins

Investigators said they may make additional arrests.

Fisher, Dencklau, Thompson and Pribbernow. Photos courtesy of the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office. Booking photos of Castle and Watkins not yet available.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - In the evening hours of Wednesday April 27, 2016, Portland Police Bureau Homicide detectives booked four people into jail in connection with the 2015 homicide of 56-year-old Robert Lee Huggins. Two other people were already in custody and are facing new charges.

Huggins' body was found by loggers just before 6 a.m on July 1, 2015, in the middle of an open field near Ridgefield, Washington.

Robert Huggins

According to the Clark County Medical Examiner's Office, Huggins died of multiple blunt and sharp force injuries, and his death was ruled a homicide. Detectives said that it appeared the body was dumped in the field rather than the death occurring at the scene.

Arrested on charges of Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Murder, Kidnap in the First Degree, and Conspiracy to Commit Kidnap in the First Degree, 56-year-old Mark Leroy Dencklau and 46-year-old Earl Devearl Fisher Jr. were booked into the Multnomah County Jail.

34-year-old Tiler Evan Pribbernow was already in the Multnomah County Jail on unrelated charges, and has now been charged with Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Murder, Kidnap in the First Degree, and Conspiracy to Commit Kidnap in the First Degree.

They also arrested "affiliates" 51-year old Ron Thompson, of Portland and 43-year old Kendra Castle, of Gresham on suspicion of hindering prosecutors and booked them into the Multnomah County Jail.

32-year-old Malachi Watkins was also already in custody. He is in the State of Washington at the Stafford Creek Corrections Center in Aberdeen for unrelated charges; he now faces charges of Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Murder, Kidnap in the First Degree, and Conspiracy to Commit Kidnap in the First Degree.

Detectives say that the victim, Robert Huggins, was once affiliated with an "outlaw" motorcycle club, the Gypsy Joker Motorcycle Club, and that his death is directly linked to that affiliation.

Detectives also confirm that the five people arraigned today are in some way associated to each other through outlaw motorcycle clubs, though law enforcement continue to (wrongly) regard them as "gangs".

All of the suspects arraigned today in Multnomah County Court were denied release.

Detectives have spoken with members of victim's family, who expressed relief that there is some resolution in this case.

This remains an active investigation and more arrests are possible.

Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact Detective Jim Lawrence at 503-823-0867, james.lawrence@portlandoregon.gov ; or, Detective Rico Beniga at 503-823-0457, rico.beniga@portlandoregon.gov.

Sources include: Multnomah County Court, Portland Police.