A Clackamas County jury reached a verdict on Wednesday, convicting 53-year-old Chad Michael Westover of the murder of Tristan Thomas, amid a conflict that turned fatal last year. According to an announcement by the Clackamas County officials, Westover was found guilty on counts of Murder in the Second Degree and Unlawful Use of a Weapon. Westover, who stabbed Thomas during a September 2024 altercation, is currently without bail pending a sentencing scheduled for November 17 at 9 a.m.
Details from the case reveal that prior to the fatal encounter at a Southeast Sunnyside Road apartment complex, Thomas had a disagreement with Christopher Stewart, another resident. According to documents obtained by the Clackamas County officials, Stewart's daughter called him after feeling threatened by Thomas, subsequently escalating tensions that same night. Alongside Stewart and his cousin Samantha Christensen, Westover confronted Thomas, who was armed with a kitchen knife and had called 911. Neighbors attempting to document the incident were advised by Westover to put away their phones as he engaged with Thomas near the stairwell of Thomas' apartment.
The violent confrontation resulted in multiple stab wounds to Thomas, including a severe laceration to his left vertebral artery, leading to his death on October 3, 2024. Westover, injured in the altercation, fled the scene only to be arrested five days later in an Oregon City post office. He attributed his injuries to a motorcycle accident when questioned about them. The incident, captured on video and Thomas' 911 call, played a crucial role in Westover's trial, as per the Clackamas County.
In the courtroom, defense attorneys argued that Thomas was the instigator of the violence. They described him as "unreasonable and unstable," painting a picture of a man persistently seeking to resolve his previous dispute with Stewart, asserting that Thomas was also intoxicated on the night of the stabbing. Despite these claims by the defense, the jury sided with the prosecution, led by Deputy District Attorneys Torrey McConnell and Chelsea Jones. With Thomas' mother and several neighbors having witnessed the attack and cried out for it to stop, according to the Clackamas County officials, Westover now awaits his sentencing next month.
