A man covered in blood and carrying what appeared to be a decapitated human head walked into an Estacada, Oregon, grocery store on Sunday and stabbed an employee, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office.
The man, whose name has not yet been released, is also a suspect in the death of a woman, whose body was found inside a nearby residence.
According to the sheriff’s office, the bizarre case began to unfold Sunday afternoon, when a witness called 911 call from an Estacada store. The caller reported a man, “covered in blood” and holding “a knife and what looked like a human head,” had walked into the Harvest Market Thriftway. While police were responding to the scene, a second individual called 911 to report that the same man had stabbed an employee of the store.
“We saw panicking people rushing for their vehicles, trying to get out all at one time,” witness Kristin Courtain told KOIN 6 News.
The suspect was subdued by other store employees, who held him down until police arrived on the scene, the sheriff’s office said.
The victim of the attack was airlifted to a local hospital. The employee was in critical condition upon admission, but is expected to survive. The male suspect was taken into police custody and later transported to the hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries.
Roughly 15 minutes after the stabbing, authorities were notified a woman’s body had been found inside a Colton residence. Colton is an unincorporated community located roughly 13 miles from Estacada. Authorities have since confirmed the woman’s death is connected to the market stabbing. Her name has not been released.
Nate Thompson, a spokesman for the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, told HuffPost he is not yet able to comment on how the woman died or whether the suspect had dismembered her.
“That all has to be done through the medical examiner’s office,” Thompson said. “They have to make a determination before we release anything.”
Thompson was also unable to comment on potential charges in the case. He said the suspect, who remains hospitalized, is expected to be released later Monday, at which time he will be “taken to the jail and booked.”
Authorities said the suspect’s name and mug shot will be released after charges are filed. The release of the victim’s name is pending positive identification by the medical examiner’s office.
UPDATE: The sheriff’s department on Tuesday identified the suspect as Joshua Lee Webb, 36, of Colton. He was charged with murder and attempted murder and booked into the Clackamas County Jail. The department also identified the victim as his mother, Tina Marie Webb, 59.
David Lohr covers crime and missing persons. Tips? Feedback? Send an email or follow him on Twitter.
