Three days before a Portland woman was found dead in her car, she had sent her location to a friend showing she was in the Van Mall neighborhood, miles from where she was later discovered. That was the last time the friend heard from her, court records say.
Vancouver police officers sought to search Courtney Clinton’s Facebook profile and the Ford Edge she was found dead inside in the 300 block of Blandford Drive. Search warrants filed Nov. 4 and Nov. 6 in Clark County Superior Court indicate officers have probable cause for first-degree murder but that investigators had not identified a suspect.
A man called 911 about 4:30 a.m. Nov. 1 to report he’d found a dead woman and a baby inside a parked car. He initially thought the woman had been shot in the back of the head, and he said there was a lot of blood inside the SUV. He also said the baby was crying. Dispatchers directed him to get the baby out of the car, according to a search warrant affidavit.
The child was taken to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center as a precaution. Officers said the child did not appear to have any traumatic injuries, court records state.
Officers determined the woman, later identified as Clinton, 31, possibly had her neck cut by an edged weapon. They did not find a weapon or Clinton’s cellphone in the car, according to the affidavit.
A close friend of Clinton’s told police they would message and send their locations to each other if they went places with anyone who “caused them concern,” the affidavit states. She said Clinton sent her a location pin about 3:30 a.m. Oct. 29. The pin indicated Clinton was near the 4700 block of Northeast 72nd Avenue.
The friend also told investigators she knew Clinton to meet men through social media and messaged with them on Facebook Messenger, court records state.
She said Clinton’s disappearance was not consistent with her daily habits, according to court records.
Detectives went to Clinton’s Portland residence. She was last seen on surveillance video there about 2 a.m. Oct. 29.
Anyone with information about this case can submit anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers of Oregon. The organization offers cash rewards of up to $2,500 for information reported to Crime Stoppers of Oregon that leads to an arrest in any unsolved felony crime.
Secure and anonymous tips can be left at crimestoppersoforegon.com, by calling 503-823-4357 or through the P3 Tips mobile app.
