Man arrested after body found in ditch in Washington County

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A man was arrested on Friday after law enforcement found a dead body in a ditch in Washington County, authorities said.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office said 38-year-old Jose Lucas Morfin, Jr., has been accused of multiple charges in connection to the death of 64-year-old Mary McDowell.

According to the sheriff's office, deputies were dispatched at 4:40 a.m. to a report of an unresponsive woman, later identified as McDowell, outside a house, later identified as her home, in the 20500 block of SW Edy Road.

"Paramedics and deputies responded and found the woman was deceased," the sheriff's office said in a release.

Law enforcement officials identified Morfin as McDowell's partner. Morfin has been arrested and faces charges that include second-degree assault, unlawful weapon use and felon in possession of a firearm.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office announced a road closure for several hours on Southwest Edy Road between Southwest Elwert Road and Southwest Aebischer Road in both directions for several hours Friday morning.

A spokesperson for the sheriff's office confirmed to KOIN 6 News via email that the road closure was related to a body that was found in a ditch and that the investigation is ongoing.

KOIN 6 News crews went to the area of the investigation and confirmed there were several law enforcement vehicles present as well as a road closure sign in the early afternoon.

This is a developing story. KOIN 6 News will update this article if more information becomes available.