Oregon man flaunted his firearms in a Facebook post captioned ‘family time.’ Then he allegedly shot three people

An Oregon school district employee was suspected of shooting three people inside a suburban home before being found dead at a motel the following day, according to The New York Post. Edward Villa, 45, was wanted in connection with the triple homicide in Happy Valley, about 10 miles southeast of Portland, after police discovered three bodies inside a home.

According to The Oregonian, officers found the victims while responding to a welfare check involving a missing person. Authorities said the three people had died as a result of “homicidal violence.” Their identities have not been publicly released, and investigators have not confirmed whether Villa knew them.

Villa worked as a student and community engagement specialist for the North Clackamas School District, which confirmed that he was a current employee but had not reported to work that day. The district informed families about the allegations, while law enforcement reassured the school community that there was no known threat to its schools or facilities.

The reason behind his death is unclear

Authorities located Villa at a motel in Hammond, a coastal community roughly a hundred miles from Happy Valley. The discovery came several hours after investigators issued a warrant for his arrest, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office.

The U.S. Marshals Service apparently tried to contact Villa inside his motel room but received no response from him. Officers then deployed tear gas and other munitions before sending in a drone, which purportedly located his body. However, it remains unclear whether his death was a suicide.

Villa had reportedly previously posted a video on Facebook showing what appeared to be an assortment of firearms and ammunition. The video, shared the previous year, allegedly carried the caption “family time.” It is not clear whether the post had any connection to the murder-suicide case that occurred. His Facebook account also seems to be deleted or deactivated and could not be found upon search.

After Villa’s death, the school district informed families that he had died. A spokesperson said the district had employed him since 2007. “At this time, we do not have any further details, but will continue providing updates with any information connected to our school district,” the district wrote.

Clackamas County Sheriff James Rhodes said authorities had identified, tracked, and located the suspect a little more than 24 hours after officers arrived at the scene. “This was a tragic incident for all involved and will have an impact on our normally peaceful city,” Happy Valley Chief of Police Marcus Mendoza said.