Cold Case Arrest: 1998 Sexual Assault

In the summer of 1998, a woman was sexually assaulted by a stranger in downtown Hillsboro. The investigation eventually went cold.

That changed when the suspect was forensically linked to DNA recovered during the victim's Sexual Assault Forensic Examination. On June 5, 2026, nearly 28 years later, Jerry Arthur was located in Washington State and arrested for Rape in the First Degree. He has since been extradited to Oregon and is in custody at the Washington County Jail.

The Hillsboro Police Department commends the victim for the bravery it took to report this crime. Because of that courage, and the persistence of our investigators, this suspect was identified nearly three decades later.

We also encourage anyone with information about Jerry Arthur, including other victims, to come forward. Please contact Hillsboro Police Detective Townsend at (503) 681-6175 and reference case 1998-5960.

An arrest is not a conviction. Mr. Arthur is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

News Source : https://www.facebook.com/742633567981805/posts/1340437324868090