The Portland Police Bureau in Oregon announced today that they’ve arrested Billy Jack Haynes on suspicion of murdering his wife, Janette Becraft.
Haynes, real name William Albert Haynes, is currently in custody at a local hospital where he’s being treated for a medical condition “unrelated to the homicide or his contact with law enforcement.”
The report states, “The suspect in the Thursday Lents Neighborhood homicide investigation is identified as William Albert Haynes, Jr, 70, of Portland. Haynes is Janette Becraft’s husband. He is in police custody at a local hospital while he is being treated for a medical condition unrelated to the homicide or his contact with law enforcement. Once he is released from the hospital, which may be days from now, he is expected to be booked into jail. Haynes’ charges will be released once he is booked.”
KOIN in Portland reported on Thursday that a shooting took place in the Lents neighborhood around 9:52 AM. As officers attempted to contact Haynes, he was “not cooperating” and was believed to have been armed. A SWAT team was eventually able to get Haynes to come out of the house and surrender. Upon entering the house, police located the body of Mrs. Becraft, who was 85. There is now a homicide investigation ongoing.
Sgt. Kevin Allen issued the following statement,
“I can confirm that the man we detained last night remains in police custody this morning. He has not been booked into jail or charged with a crime, so we are not releasing his name at this time. I’m in communication with detectives and we will update the news release as soon as there is a development to report.”
Finally, KPTV in Portland spoke to a neighbor who said the following,
“It’s a tragedy all around. Finally, being able to process the severity of the proximity of how close we were in nature. It’s my dad and I live and help take care of them. Recently, I was just taking care of his wife who had ongoing dementia. I was pretty decently close to both of them and loved them very much.”
On February 8, 2024, the Portland Police Bureau in Oregon made a shocking announcement regarding the arrest of Billy Jack Haynes on suspicion of murdering his wife, Janette Becraft. Haynes, whose real name is William Albert Haynes, is currently in custody at a local hospital where he is receiving treatment for a medical condition unrelated to the homicide or his contact with law enforcement.
According to reports, the incident took place in the Lents neighborhood of Portland around 9:52 AM on Thursday. When officers attempted to approach Haynes, he was uncooperative and believed to be armed. As a result, a SWAT team was called in to negotiate with him. Eventually, Haynes surrendered and was taken into custody. Upon entering the house, the police discovered the lifeless body of Mrs. Becraft, who was 85 years old. This tragic event has now sparked an ongoing homicide investigation.
Sgt. Kevin Allen, who is involved in the case, released a statement confirming that the detained individual remains in police custody and has not yet been booked into jail or charged with a crime. Therefore, his name is being withheld at this time. The police are actively working with detectives and will update the news release as soon as there are any significant developments to report.
The incident has left the community in shock and mourning. A neighbor, who had a close relationship with both Haynes and Becraft, expressed their grief over the situation. They described it as a tragedy and emphasized the proximity of their relationship, as they were involved in taking care of Haynes’ wife who suffered from ongoing dementia.
As the investigation continues, the Portland Police Bureau will work diligently to gather evidence and determine the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate incident. The community will anxiously await updates on the case and hope for justice to be served.
It is important to remember that at this stage, Haynes is considered innocent until proven guilty. The legal process will unfold, and the truth will be revealed as the case progresses.