Arrest made after an 80-year-old woman was found dead in a suitcase in Portland, Oregon

An arrest has been made in connection to the body of an 80-year-old woman found in a suitcase on Sauvie Island in Portland, OR. Details have also emerged about who the woman was and what her life was like before she died.

According to the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, the remains of Judy Hurley, also known as Judy Fivecoats, were found in a suitcase on the banks of the Willamette River on Sauvie Island, on Feb. 17 this year. Her cause of death was determined to be a homicide. Michael Darwin Moody, 54, has been arrested and charged with the crime amid an ongoing investigation. Hurley’s Fivecoats alias has not so far been explained.

Hurley was in a “pretty bad spot” just last year

Anonymous sources told Portland’s KOIN Moody and Hurley knew each other but the exact nature of their relationship is unclear. According to Portland’s KPTV, Leslie Ortiz and Justin Misner say Hurley was in a “pretty bad spot” when they bought her house last year, which could explain the situation.

“There were people that would come to the house and essentially use it as a base of operations to commit crimes,” Misner told the outlet, “such as stealing cars and there were cases of people squatting in the house that she didn’t know about because they were squatting on the upper floor and she was bedridden so there were people living in the house that she didn’t even know were living here.”

After buying the house, Ortiz and Misner helped Hurley move from her home into a retirement community and grew close. “We helped her move out of this home and into a retirement home as well as helping her with going to doctor’s appointments and finding care for her,” Misner said.

Misner added, “We grew really attached. She would tell us that she loved us and told us that she thought we were family. She told us we were the only ones that like actually helped her the last couple of years.”

But Moody left the retirement home for medical reasons, though where she went is unclear. Misner and Ortiz lost touch until they heard what had happened to her. “Nobody deserves to go that way regardless of your history,” Ortiz said.

“It’s hard to hear about any passing in general but to hear how she passed is really heartbreaking,” Misner added. I personally think it could’ve been prevented. I believe that she was just a really kind person that just got taken advantage of.”

Moody is currently charged with murder and abuse of a corpse, and is scheduled to appear in court on March 3. Portland authorities are still seeking information about what may have happened to her or the circumstances of her death. Hurley’s exact cause of death has not been made public. The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office urges anyone with information about this case to contact investigators at 503-988-0560, referencing case number 25-6042.