Executive Summary
- Aaron White, 43, has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
- The victim was identified as White’s 70-year-old mother found at a Salem residence.
- Police clarified that a second body found nearby on the same day is unrelated.
- This marks the first homicide investigation for Salem Police in 2026.
Authorities in Salem, Oregon, have arrested a 43-year-old man in connection with the death of his mother, classifying the incident as a homicide. The Salem Police Department confirmed that Aaron White has been taken into custody and charged with second-degree murder following the discovery of the 70-year-old victim.
According to police reports, officers responded to a residence in the 4500 block of Dark Forest Place Northeast on Friday, Jan. 30, at approximately 1:10 p.m. Upon arrival, investigators located the deceased woman inside the home. The department noted that this investigation marks the first homicide case handled by the Criminal Investigation Section in 2026. Police officials acknowledged the assistance of the Oregon State Police Crime Lab in processing the evidence at the scene.
In a separate development occurring the same day, authorities discovered another woman’s body at Wallace Marine Park, located roughly four miles from the initial crime scene, around 6:31 p.m. A spokesperson for the Salem Police Department stated that, following discussions with investigators, the two cases appear unrelated. Law enforcement officials emphasized that based on known information, there does not appear to be an ongoing threat to the community regarding these concurrent discoveries.
Investigative Outlook
The swift classification of the Dark Forest Place death as a homicide indicates that investigators secured sufficient preliminary evidence to effectuate an immediate arrest. While the temporal proximity of two deceased women being found on the same day initially raised community concerns, the explicit separation of the cases by law enforcement suggests distinct fact patterns for each incident. As the investigation proceeds, the prosecution will focus on establishing the specific circumstances leading to the second-degree murder charge against Mr. White. It is important to note that all individuals, including Aaron White, are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
