Oregon City man faces charges for wife’s murder

OREGON CITY Ore. (KPTV) - An Oregon City man remains behind bars after police say he confessed to killing his wife. He made his first appearance in front of a judge Tuesday, and FOX 12 learned more details about what may have led up to the deadly shooting.

An Oregon City community is shaken up by a tragedy in their typically calm neighborhood.

“I think it’s shocking anywhere to hear this. You never think it’s going to be near your house, you know it’s always some other far-off place,” Don Ramsey, who lives nearby, said.

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People who knew the victim, 37-year-old Anna Wessel, say there’s been an outpouring of love as they grieve the unimaginable loss.

“I’m friends with some people that are very close to her,” Ramsey said. “From what I’ve heard from some other people that are all mutual friends, they’ve been surrounded by love and by people that care for them, and I don’t know that that’s ever going to be enough to take care of this, but at least they know they’re being supported.”

Oregon City police say 41-year-old Anthony Wessel turned himself in at the police department just after 1 p.m. Monday afternoon. Officers say they rushed to the family’s home on Squire Drive near Meyers Road in Oregon City and found his wife dead inside.

Investigators say Anthony was booked into the Clackamas County Jail on allegations of second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon.

In his first court appearance on Tuesday, the prosecutor presented new details of what may have happened.

“He told the police at that time that he shot his wife in the head two times,” the prosecuting attorney said. “Described the gun that he used, the location within the house where it happened. The medical examiners completed a medical autopsy this morning that confirmed the cause of death was two gunshots to the head.”

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People in the neighborhood say nothing will replace a life taken.

“Any life taken is senseless like this,” Ramsey said.

To learn more about how you can support the family and their young children at this time, visit this GoFundMe fundraiser.

Anthony is due back in court on November 21.

Anyone with information related to this case is asked to contact Oregon City police.

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