Canby, Ore. – A Clackamas County Circuit Court arraignment on Thursday saw 36‑year‑old Vince Edgar Chavez enter a not‑guilty plea to a string of serious charges tied to the abduction and assault of two sisters living in the Orchards Apartments.
Charges and court proceedings
Chavez, represented by attorney Brian Schmonsees, faced counts of first‑degree attempted murder, first‑degree assault, first‑degree kidnapping, first‑degree sexual abuse, four counts of first‑degree sodomy, first‑degree burglary, second‑degree assault and strangulation. The indictment alleges he assaulted a 12‑year‑old girl and kidnapped her 10‑year‑old stepsister on Oct. 28, later sexually assaulting the younger child.
Judge Heather Karabeika presided over the hearing, and the defendant was ordered held without bail at the Clackamas County Jail. A three‑hour preventive detention hearing is set for Dec. 1 at 9 a.m., at which a bail decision and a trial date will be determined. Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris Owen and Deputy District Attorney Josh Cutino are prosecuting the case.
Victims’ family shares new details
The victims’ maternal grandmother spoke with FOX 12, revealing new information about the night of the attack. According to her account, the girls were sleeping in the living‑room of their unit when a man forced entry just before 2 a.m. The mother, asleep in another room, awoke to a voice and discovered her 12‑year‑old daughter unconscious and bleeding after being struck multiple times with a hammer. As she entered the room, she saw the intruder carrying her 10‑year‑old daughter out of the apartment.
The mother looked outside and saw a white van parked near the home before calling 911. The grandmother added that her daughter had met Chavez through a dating website several months earlier, dated him for about two weeks, and ended the relationship after becoming uncomfortable with his focus on the younger child.
Search and rescue
Police searched for the 10‑year‑old for roughly 13 hours before locating her alive inside a closet, duct‑taped in a duffel bag, at an Oregon City residence where investigators say Chavez was renting a room. Chavez was arrested at the scene.
The grandmother reported that the younger sister is now staying with her father as both girls begin physical and emotional recovery.
Community response
Local residents expressed shock and concern over the violent intrusion, emphasizing the need for heightened safety measures in apartment complexes. Law‑enforcement officials urged anyone with additional information to contact the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office.
The case underscores the importance of vigilant community watch efforts and swift police response in protecting families from violent crime.
Original reporting: KPTV FOX 12 Portland (news) — read the source article.
