Suspect in 1986 Salem Murder Arrested

Marion County Sheriff's Office Cold Case Squad makes arrest in 1986 Homicide Investigation.

48-year old Patrick McCreary was arrested for the 1986 murder of Edward Jeffery Tuesday. Photo: Marion County Sheriff

(SALEM, Ore.) - Investigators from the Marion County Sheriff's Office Cold Case Squad arrested 48-year old Patrick McCreary for the 1986 murder of Edward Jeffery Tuesday.

McCreary was arrested in Redmond, Oregon where he currently resides, and transported to the Marion County Jail where he has been lodged.

Marion County Sheriff Russ Isham says Patrick McCreary will be arraigned on the charge of Murder tomorrow morning at 8:30 AM at the Marion County Court Annex located at 4000 Aumsville Hwy, Salem, Oregon.

"This investigation originally started on December 22nd 1986, when Mr. Jeffery was found deceased by a family member near his rural home on 66th Avenue NE in Salem, Oregon," Isham said.

"Evidence and circumstances discovered during the investigation into Jeffery's death indicated that the manner of death was homicidal in nature."

Isham says investigators followed up on many leads during the months and years following Mr. Jeffery's death but none of the leads panned out and eventually the case turned cold.

But in July 2007, the Marion County Sheriff's Office Cold Case Squad re-opened the Edward Jeffery's investigation.

Isham says the re-visiting of the investigation consisted of a thorough review of all case materials and physical evidence.

"Based on this review, Cold Case investigators developed Patrick Gordon McCreary as a person of interest. As the investigation progressed Patrick McCreary ultimately evolved to the level of suspect."

The Marion County Cold Case Squad was formed in September of 2004 and consists of four volunteers who have a Special Deputy Commission and work under the supervision of a full time detective.

Members of the Cold Case Squad include: Don McMullen, retired FBI; Jeffrey Zens, retired Wisconsin County Sheriff's Office; Jack Janssen, retired Salem Police Department; Larry McCloskey, retired Benton County Sheriff's Office; and Detective Mike Myers of the Marion County Sheriff's office.

The Marion County Sheriff's office would like to express thanks to the Bend Police Department and the Deschutes County Sheriff's office for their assistance in this investigation.

This is the second major victory for the Marion County Cold Case Squad, which played a part in the recent conviction in the Sherry Eyerly Murder case, another long unresolved case from the 1980's. William Scott Smith pled guilty in a Marion County courtroom after over 25 years having gone by since the abduction and murder of Ms. Eyerly.

Jason Myers with the Marion County Sheriff's Office told Salem-News it puts a lot of closure on cases where families have had to wonder for years.

"When you have one like this one where indications are that it is a homicide, it is even more difficult. But we are happy to be able to bring the families closure."