Investigation Murder of Brooke Wilberger

1 investigation

1.1 initial efforts
1.2 joel patrick courtney

1.2.1 conviction

investigation
initial efforts

a billboard in salem requesting information on brooke wilberger.

when wilberger disappeared, police began investigating – against normal procedure. lt. ron noble of corvallis police department said, normally, wait. because adults can come , go please, , wait see if showed maybe next day. however, in case, police officials agreed family wilberger not type of girl disappear on own. wilbergers church organized search citizens of corvallis.

the investigation centered on sung koo kim, named person of interest in disappearance. kim later dropped suspect, received 11-year prison sentence multiple counts of burglary , theft of women s personal property in yamhill county, oregon, crimes uncovered while being investigated wilberger disappearance. released in december 2012 after serving 7 years.

joel patrick courtney

on november 30, 2004, university of new mexico student beaten , raped, before escaping , identifying joel patrick courtney attacker. on september 12, 2007, courtney pleaded guilty beating , rape of 22-year-old university of new mexico foreign exchange student. courtney s plea agreement called prison sentence of 18 years, plus 5 20 years on parole.

police linked courtney, native of beaverton, oregon, disappearance of wilberger , in august 2005 charged on 19 counts of aggravated murder, kidnapping, sexual abuse, rape , sodomy. court documents released in 2008 revealed details showing courtney in corvallis when wilberger disappeared , green van driving spotted several people, including osu employee identified him photo lineup. officials said wilberger s dna found inside van, along hair.

courtney extradited benton county, oregon on april 8, 2008. scheduled first appearance on april 9, 2008, @ benton county courthouse, facing 14 counts including aggravated murder, 2 counts of kidnapping , single counts of rape, sodomy , sexual abuse in connection wilberger s disappearance. charges filed despite absence of body of alleged victim @ time; prosecutor in case announced seek death penalty. fbi had briefly considered courtney suspect in 2 3 disappearances under investigation have since eliminated him suspect.

it revealed through court deposition , courtney s confession had abducted wilberger parking lot had been cleaning lamp posts on morning of may 24, 2004. drove woods outside of town. returned town buy food while still had wilberger bound in van. according courtney, kept alive throughout night before raped next morning. bludgeoned death when tried fight off rape.

conviction

courtney s attorneys worked towards trial, towards speedier resolution. trial set february 1, 2010. expected charged in connection unrelated kidnapping, attempted sexual assault, attempted rape, attempted sodomy , attempted murder of 2 oregon state university students, same day wilberger went missing.

on september 21, 2009, joel patrick courtney pleaded guilty aggravated murder, crime subject capital punishment in oregon, , sentenced life in prison without possibility of parole. deal spared courtney death penalty, in exchange providing information location of wilberger s body. in addition, deal called courtney imprisoned in home state, new mexico, instead of oregon crime committed.

the benton county district attorney announced recovery of wilberger s body (without specifics or location) in press conference day of courtney s confession. later revealed remains had been concealed in woods on abandoned logging road between blodget , wren, located in oregon coast range.