On October 6, 2023, a Washington County jury found Edi Villalobos Jr. guilty of Murder in the Second Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, two counts of Burglary in the First Degree, two counts of Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Police Officer, Reckless Driving, and Recklessly Endangering Another Person. Senior Deputy District Attorney John Gerhard and Deputy District Attorney Nadya Martin prosecuted the case before Judge Eric Butterfield.
On April 10, 2021, the defendant and his girlfriend visited his mother’s house in Cornelius, Oregon. His mother was in a long-term relationship with the victim, Artemio Guzman-Olvera, and the pair lived together in the home. When the victim arrived home from work, the defendant rushed towards him and stabbed him repeatedly with a knife. Family members were unaware of any dispute between the two and the attack was unprovoked.
Family members rendered aid to the victim until first responders could arrive. The victim was flown to an area hospital where he later died from numerous stab wounds. The defendant and his girlfriend fled the scene in their vehicle.
The pair then drove to Wilsonville, Oregon to meet up with two friends. All four people were inside an apartment when the defendant attacked the two friends with the same knife he used to murder Artemio Guzman-Olvera in another unprovoked attack. The male victim suffered serious injuries but was able to alert law enforcement. This incident was prosecuted by the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office, and the defendant pled guilty in that case to Assault in the First Degree and was sentenced to 90 months in prison.
The defendant fled the Wilsonville scene back towards Tigard, and numerous officers responded to the area and eventually located the defendant’s vehicle. He then led officers on a chase at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour through dense traffic. The defendant eventually could not maneuver through traffic and fled his vehicle on foot, leaving his girlfriend behind. The defendant jumped over several fences and fled into the Summerfield retirement community.
A short time later, the defendant broke into a home in Tigard, Oregon. An elderly couple was inside the residence at the time. He told them he needed help and began washing his hands and clothing with cleaning supplies. He attempted to steal the homeowner’s clothing as well. At some point, the homeowner received a phone call from a neighbor during which he was able to discretely ask the neighbor to call 9-1-1, which she did. The defendant became increasingly agitated and fled the home, running deeper into the Summerfield community, where he was ultimately arrested by police.
Detectives obtained search warrants for the vehicle the defendant was driving and the home where the initial stabbing took place. They found blood, bloody clothing, and a knife in the car. They also found a sheath in the home that matched that of the knife found in the vehicle.Â
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 20, 2023. The defendant will remain in custody until that time.
