The suspect in the ‘death by domestic violence’ fled outer East Portland, is captured two weeks later …
On the border between the Pleasant Valley and Centennial neighborhoods, officers close off entrances to Powell Butte Nature Park.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
On Friday, December 9 at 3:16 p.m., Portland Police Bureau (PPB) East Precinct officers were dispatched to a report of a person found dead in Powell Butte Nature Park, at 16160 SE Powell Boulevard.
“When officers arrived they located a [body]; due to suspicious circumstances, PPB Homicide Division detectives responded to the scene to investigate,” a police official confirmed.
Detectives issued a nationwide arrest warrant for 43-year-old Jose Antonio Caraballo, with the charge being Murder in the Second Degree (Domestic Violence). Although he’d been living in the greater Portland area at the time, officials said Caraballo could have been helped out of the state by associates in Oregon, California, and Mexico.
The victim in this case is 27-year-old Kathryn Muhlbach. Family provided photo
On December 23, the PPB revealed that the body found in the park was that of 27-year-old Kathryn Muhlbach. The Medical Examiner determined the manner and cause of her death to be homicide, by homicidal violence.
Later on December 23, PPB Homicide Division detectives were notified that around 2 p.m. that afternoon, Caraballo had been arrested by the Central Point [Oregon] Police Department officers on the warrant for Murder II, and that he’d been booked into the Jackson County Jail.
In hopes of capturing the suspect, 43-year-old Jose Antonio Caraballo, officials released this photo. PPB provided image
As of when this story was published, Caraballo was still in the Jackson County Jail, held without bail, pending his transfer to Multnomah County. In addition to the homicide charge, Caraballo was also charged with Burglary I, Theft I, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and Menacing.
If you have information about this incident or suspect, please contact Detective Jennifer Hertzler Jennifer.Hertzler@police.portlandoregon.gov 503-823-1040 – or Detective Joe Corona Joseph.Corona@police.portlandoregon.gov 503-823-0508. If you do, please reference Case No. 22-326621.
© 2022 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™