$25k reward offered in Portland triple homicide, FBI says

Published 2:42 pm Thursday, November 16, 2023

The FBI announced a $25,000 reward Thursday to anyone with information leading to an arrest and conviction in the triple homicide that killed two high school students and one other person in north Portland in March.

Eskender Tamra, 17, was traveling with 19-year-old Babu Daudi and 20-year-old Patrick Johnson Jr. when their car was hit by a volley of bullets by three people on the sidewalk of N. Foss Avenue near University Park on March 25.

On Thursday morning, Tamra’s family joined FBI agents and Portland detectives at University Park, just a few hundred feet away from where the violent shooting took place, to announce the reward. Tamra’s sister, Beza Tamra, said it was difficult to be in that park, but that her family came hoping to get answers.

“As you can imagine, it’s very hard for us to be here where my brother took his last breath,” Beza Tamra said. “My family and law enforcement are desperate to get answers to what happened and why. I’m very confident somebody out there knows something, so please do the right thing. Give my family the peace that we deserve. This is like an open wound for us.”

Investigators have not identified any suspects in the daylight shooting, but said that they believe it was a targeted attack.

Law enforcement officials have provided no other details into their investigation.

Beza Tamra said her family is recovering, but as her brother’s birthday and the holiday season approaches, she said the loss still weighs heavily on them.

“His birthday is in January; we know that’s going to be hard,” she said. “We’ve accepted what happened. I just hope the reward motivates people to come forward.”

Eskender Tamra was a junior at Franklin High School, and immigrated to Oregon from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with his sister to pursue better educational opportunities. Daudi, who went by the first name Isaac, was a senior at Roosevelt High School. In emails to school families, officials described both students as “quiet, reserved, and respectful.”

FBI Special Agent Kieran Ramsey said those with information can contact the Portland Police Bureau, or reach out to the FBI directly at 1-800-CALLFBI. People can also submit a tip on the FBI’s website.