Man strangles girlfriend’s dad with dog leash, hides body in sleeping bag, OR cops say
A 24-year-old is going to prison after being accused of killing his girlfriend’s dad, Oregon officials said.
In October 2022, police in Portland responded after getting reports of a sleeping bag near the side of a road emitting a “strong stench,” according to court documents.
When officers opened the bag, they found a decomposing body, documents stated.
The body was identified as 54-year-old James Orlando Harris, according to a May 14 news release by the Multnomah County District Attorney.
“We miss him. We feel his absence from our lives, and it still doesn’t feel real. We still expect him to come through the door, saying, ‘Hey guys, what’s up?’ But we know we won’t hear that again,” Harris’ obituary said. “It’s unfair. It’s cruel.”
Surveillance footage captured Zachary Hackman stopping at a 7-Eleven for a soda before entering Harris’ residence, documents said.
Later, video footage showed Hackman leaving the home carrying a “heavy large tote” with the help of Harris’ daughter LoraJean Harris, court documents said.
Harris’ daughter told officers she didn’t know she had helped Hackman dump her dad’s body until afterwards, documents stated.
According to Harris’ daughter, Hackman told her he’d strangled her dad with a dog leash after putting a plastic bag over his head, documents said. He said he killed Harris because he was a “bad man.”
Harris’ daughter told officers she “lied about her knowledge of the murder” out of fear of what her family would think and because she thought Hackman would hurt her, officials said.
“Our family is missing a piece. Time can only do so much, but it won’t repair it. He was a part of the family that cannot be replaced,” the obituary said.
Hackman entered a plea agreement and was sentenced to 19 years in prison on manslaughter and abuse of a corpse charges, prosecutors said.
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