The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office detectives made two arrests last week in the 11-year-old cold case involving the murder of 28-year-old Joseph Patrick Haley, who was found dead in his apartment in Oak Grove on March 20, 2009.
The CCSO says a new break in the case finally came in the fall of 2018. Over the next 16 months, detectives from Homicide and Violent Crimes, along with the Cold Case Unit and Inter-Agency Task Force, worked these new leads and ultimately developed and identified two suspects: Kevin Schwartz, 34, of Gresham and George Robins, 38, of Portland.
Detectives submitted a criminal case to the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office for review. The case was presented to a Grand Jury, and indictments were obtained against Schwartz and Robins.
On Wednesday. Feb. 19, detectives arrested both men. Schwartz was charged with first-degree murder and Robins for second-degree murder.
Both were booked at the Clackamas County Jail without bail. They were arraigned at the Clackamas County Courthouse this afternoon Thursday, and are currently being held without bail.
In a press release announcing the long-awaited arrests, Sheriff’s Office Detective Sgt. Jesse Ashby said: “I am extremely proud of all of the investigators’ work on this case. As a team, we hope these arrests bring a measure of closure to Joseph Haley’s family.”
According to information from the sheriff’s office in 2009, Haley was fatally shot in his home at Willow Creek, located just south of Milwaukie. He lived in the apartment with two roommates, who were present at the time of the shooting and were unhurt.
His roommates told investigators that two armed male subjects came to the front door of the apartment and barged their way in. Seconds later, Haley was shot and killed by one of the armed intruders. The two suspects immediately fled the scene.
Court records show Robins has previously been arrested on charges of assault, unlawful use of a weapon and robbery. Schwartz has also been arrested in the past on charges of forgery, assault and harassment.
