North Portland family still waiting for answers in son’s murder 6 years later

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - A North Portland family is still searching for answers six years after their son was shot and killed. As they approach the anniversary of his death, they’re asking for the public’s help to resolve this mystery.

There’s not a day that goes by that George and Carolyn Spaulding don’t think of their son Brian. He was known for his great smile and having an array of interests from podcasting to music.

“Easygoing, he was also involved in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and was working toward becoming an assistant instructor doing that,” George Spaulding said.

On June 12, 2017, Brian’s coworkers were worried when he didn’t show up to work, so they called his family. His parents rushed over to his house on Northeast 10th Avenue and showed up to a scene George will never forget.

“Went into the house and back to his room and found him shot to death. Worst day of my life,” Spaulding said.

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Portland police have been working on the case ever since, but no leads means Brian’s family has been left wondering why anyone would do this to their son, who was a helpful neighbor and well-liked by everyone who knew him.

“It wasn’t an accident. This was a willful homicide. But wrong place, wrong time? Yeah. We think someone got their wires crossed,” Spaulding said. “Just made a fateful choice that took Brian from us far too early. He was only 36 at the time. He’d be 42 now.”

There are two rewards set up for any information that can lead to an arrest and bring the Spaulding family closure. Crimestoppers of Oregon is offering $2,500 and Brian’s family and friends raised a little more than $20,000 on their own for any information.

“It’s not my life’s goal to see somebody go to prison for the rest of their lives, although justice would go to that. To me, a sense of justice would just resolve why it happened and maybe who and maybe that person is no longer with us,” Spaulding said.

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Spaulding also wants answers for all the families whose loved ones have been taken from them too soon in the years since Brian was killed.

“The senseless gun violence is just so insane. Brian was at the start of the wave that’s just gotten worse and there’s really no excuse for it. There’s none,” he said.

If you know anything about what happened to Brian you’re asked to contact Detective Rico Beniga at Rico.Beniga@portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-0457.

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