In a somber conclusion to a violent chapter in Portland's history, Phillip Lawrence Nelson was handed a life sentence for the 2020 double homicide of Najaf "Nate" Hobbs and Cassy Leaton in Northeast Portland. Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Eric Dahlin decreed the sentence on May 24.
With the families of the victims looking on, Judge Dahlin determined that Nelson, 42, will have to possibly serve 35 years behind bars before he's eligible for parole. His conviction came down to one count of second-degree murder in Leaton's death and one count of manslaughter for Hobbs, signaling a conclusion to a case that has gripped the county since the grisly events unfolded two years prior. While some might find solace in closure, the court's decision undeniably reminds a community of the brutal loss suffered that summer day. According to a statement from Multnomah County District Attorney's Office (MCDA), the sentencing "allows for some closure and for the healing process to continue."
The conviction stems from an incident on June 16, 2020, when Portland Police Department (PPD) officers hurriedly responded to a stabbing report in the 1400 block of Northeast Davis Street. Upon arrival at 3:44 p.m., they found Hobbs already deceased, and Leaton critically injured. She would later succumb to her injuries at the hospital. Nelson fled the scene prior to the officers' arrival but was captured two days later.
Nelson's trial, which stretched from April 8 to 26 before Judge Dahlin, saw Deputy District Attorney Rachna Hajari and Senior Deputy District Attorney Amanda Nadell leading the prosecution. It concluded when the 12-person jury returned a guilty verdict on April 26. The MCDA expressed gratitude toward the PPD, particularly Detective Rico Beniga, whose investigative work was crucial in substantiating the case against Nelson. As the guilty party prepares to begin his life sentence at the Oregon Department of Corrections, the reverberations of his actions are left to be felt by the families and by a city forced to confront senseless violence in its midst.
