John Jefferson
Left: Chad Westover (Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office). Right: Tristan Thomas (GoFundMe). Inset: Weapon Westover allegedly used to kill Thomas (Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office).
Authorities in Oregon arrested a 52-year-old man after he allegedly stabbed a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier to death during an altercation at their apartment complex.
It happened around 11:30 a.m. Sept. 21 at the Twin Creek Apartment complex on SE Sunnyside Road in Clackamas, just outside of Portland, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday. Paramedics arrived on scene to find Tristan Salvatore Thomas suffering from several stab wounds including a slit across his neck. Paramedics rushed him to the hospital where he died from his injuries on Oct. 3.
The suspect, 52-year-old Chad Michael Westover, was arrested for second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon and tampering with physical evidence, deputies say.
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According to a 168-page probable cause arrest affidavit obtained by Law&Crime, the ordeal actually began earlier in the day when Thomas confronted a neighbor, Christopher Stewart, over the way he parked his motorcycle at the apartment complex where they both lived. Stewart allegedly assaulted Thomas, sending him to the hospital. Deputies did not believe there was enough probable cause for an arrest, the affidavit stated.
After receiving treatment, Thomas returned from the hospital later on in the day. Meanwhile, Stewart and Westover were at a party in the complex hosted by 48-year-old Samantha S. Christensen. At some point, Stewart received a call from his teenage daughter claiming that she was being followed by a “strange man” in the complex, the affidavit said. Stewart, Westover and Christensen left the party to investigate. They reportedly determined the man was Thomas, who was allegedly carrying a butcher knife.
Much of what occurred next was captured by neighbors taking video of the altercation and from Thomas’ calls to 911, authorities said. Deputies did not release footage, but the affidavit included stills.
In the call, Thomas told dispatchers that four people later identified Stewart, the teen daughter, Westover and Christensen were outside of his apartment and he feared for his safety. A video taken by a neighbor allegedly shows Westover say, “If you guys are done filming, I’ll take care of it,” to which Christensen, who is the defendant’s cousin, replies, “I’m done, take care of it, Chad.”
Westover goes off screen and apparently attacked Thomas, the affidavit said. During the altercation, Thomas “repeatedly screams for help” as Westover assaulted him, deputies wrote. Stewart yells at Westover to “let him go, let him go” as Thomas exclaims “He’s stabbing me!,” the affidavit said.
The neighbor taking the video urges someone to call 911 because “that’s a lot of blood!” per the affidavit. Westover’s assault lasted nearly five minutes, authorities said. He allegedly then threw the knife atop Thomas and walked away. Deputies say Thomas never caused harm to Westover.
“After leaving Mr. Thomas in a pool of his blood, Defendant left the scene with Samantha Christensen and at no point called 911,” detectives wrote. “In fact, I know that Samantha Christensen took Mr. Thomas’s phone from the scene, and when 911 called back from the dropped call, she told them that everything was ‘fine’ prior to hanging up the call.”
On Wednesday, Christensen turned herself into the Clackamas County Jail on charges of first-degree assault, tampering with physical evidence, hindering prosecution and interference with making a report. She is being held on $250,000 bail for her alleged role in the incident. Westover was originally charged with assault after the incident and posted bond. But deputies arrested him again after Thomas died and upgraded the charges to second-degree murder. He’s in jail without bond.
Post Miranda, Christensen told detectives it was Thomas who first attacked Westover with the butcher knife and sliced him under the eye and stabbed him under the rib cage. She took photos of his injuries. Investigators called the placement of the wound “curious” and noted he had no defensive wounds. Deputies also said when Westover went to the hospital for treatment, he claimed he had been in a motorcycle accident.
Thomas’ family started a GoFundMe to cover funeral expenses and other costs.
“Tristan was a pillar to his community giving back by delivering mail to the same community he grew up in. He is described as quirky, boisterous, lovable, vibrant and had a presence about him that brought a smile to many, you always knew when he was in the room,” the fundraiser said.
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